


Take These Broken Wings (And Learn to Fly Away)

by bowie_queen



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 38,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bowie_queen/pseuds/bowie_queen
Summary: Sarah longs for freedom from the current life she has made for herself. One casual wish later she gets more than she bargains for. She is trapped in an unfamiliar form with only Jareth for company when he finds her, and no idea how to reveal her true self. Does Sarah find that love is more than heartache and misery? Does she learn that kindness can be found in dark places?
Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams
Comments: 11
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

It was another late night for Sarah Williams. Another day, another crisis to be resolved right before home time. Deep into the night Sarah shuffled her way through the dark, rain soaked streets to her flat with her saturated shirt and skirt clinging to her damp skin and her dark hair leeching onto and plastering itself all over her forehead, temples, cheeks and even her neck. Sarah stifled a yawn as she headed through the foyer of her block of flats. When she finally made it into her flat, she peeled off her wet clothes and unceremoniously dumped them on the linoleum floor of the hallway. In little more than her knickers and bra, she flicked the lights on and sat at the dining table with her head in her hands.

Her job was tiring and soul crushing. Bit by bit her life force was being sucked out of her through her work. She kept telling herself she was going to quit, but she always kept going back. Like a drug that she just couldn't quit. But it was nearly midnight and she just couldn't go on like this any longer. It was exhausting and not sustainable. As much prestige and money it may make for her, it was more and more a prison for her the longer she toiled and her freedom became less and less. Sarah raised her head and looked through the gaps in her fingers of her hands still pressed into her face.

On the wall above the dining table where she sat, there was a painting her friend had made of an owl in flight. Sarah considered that painting the exact opposite of her current situation. She had never felt more like a caged bird with clipped wings than this very moment sitting in her flat in her underwear, soaking wet, cold, hungry and very tired. Oh how she longed to soar like the bird in her painting. To stretch her wings and feel the wind around her as she took to the skies.

Sarah longed for freedom so deeply. Not just from her work, but also from her broken heart. Her lessons from the Labyrinth were many, but one that stood out was not taking things for granted. So she tried to never take her relationships or friendships for granted since she had left her grand adventure over a decade ago. She was slow to trust, but loyal to a fault when invested in that relationship. And this had been her undoing in recent times. Searching for things that do not exist may be a specialty, but she should never heaped her high expectations on another person who could just not carry them. And stumble under the weight of her heavy expectations, Conway Hild, boyfriend of five years, quite spectacularly did. He "stumbled" into the bed of Sarah's once best friend, Joanie, repeatedly. Sarah's heart had been torn asunder. She had guarded her heart with so many defences, for it to have been so casually abused, Sarah could not recover. Drowning herself in her work was the only solution she saw open to her. But even now that was doing more harm than good. She longed to just escape. To forget work, to forget Joanie and Conway. To find the joy in life again. To take pleasure in the simple things. Sarah wasn't naturally a gloomy person and her strength had always carried her through but it was her strength she was trying to summon to change her circumstances that was tiring her out now.

But in typical Sarah fashion, she gritted her teeth. The last time she gave into her frustrations she had wished her brother away, and she swore she'd never show such weakness again. While she thought about her friends and the labyrinth often, it was in her past. And not something she wanted to relive. So communication with Hoggle and Didymus had faded away, much like the aspects of her adolescence had over time. So two paths lay in front of her. One that involved changing her job, giving in to the pressure that surrounded her, possibly seen as weakness by some who would scoff at her about how she couldn't "hack it." How right they would be proven when they had doubted her ability. Her other choice was to stay in a situation where she wasn't happy but determined to prove she was capable. Was her pride worth so much though? As for her broken heart, that could only be cured with time and her own inner strength. Perhaps a new job that didn't undervalue her and instead built her up, would work two fold to help her heal her heart. Both choices terrified her. Much like turning a blind corner in the Labyrinth, she wouldn't know what waited for her if she made a change, but if she stayed on the same path, it was better the devil you know.

Sarah sighed. Midnight was way too late to be having deep philosophical discussions with herself about her possible future. She stretched her aching muscles and ran her eyes over the painting of the owl. It wasn't a barn owl like she knew Jareth had turned into, but seeing the owl, she still couldn't help but draw parallels. When she had still been in contact with her friends from the Underground, they had only rarely mentioned Jareth in passing. Never a direct reference, but Sarah worked out that was who they talked about. After all this time he was still an enigma, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't wonder about him every now and then. This particular owl was a Morepork, an owl native to New Zealand, where her friend Di had visited after they had graduated College. It was given to her on her 21st birthday after Sarah had mentioned in passing a mild curiosity about raptors. Di returned from New Zealand and painted the Morepork, or ruru as it was also known and told her it was the start of her own collection. The Morepork was a brown owl, so she felt safe that it couldn't really be compared to the Goblin King, who was from memory a white barn owl. But its eyes staring through the canvas were still enough to let her think of His Majesty as the picture loomed over her.

"I wish I could just fly away like that owl," she said out loud with an audible sigh, before she bit her lip and nervously looked around as if her wish would summon the very devil himself to grant it. Nothing happened. The rain still bucketed down outside, the thunder still rolled ominously across the heavens, but nothing changed. She sighed again and headed to the bathroom to shower and change into her night clothes. It was an early morning the next day as per usual, so she wanted to get at least four hours sleep in. In her head she planned and dreamed of throwing her notice at her boss. A triumphant exit where all the plebs that worked alongside her stood and cheered and tossed their hats in exaltation as she stuck it to the man.

"Take your job and stick it," Sarah muttered to herself as the warm water washed away all traces of the day. She was strongly reminded of her exit from the Labyrinth over a decade earlier. How victorious she was over the Goblin King when she uttered those damning words. How she won her brother back and defeated the man who had kidnapped him. Now look at her; a drowned rat returning from a 16 hour day in the rat race only to start the same exact thing the very next day and on only 4 hours sleep and a few cupfuls of coffee.

It had to stop. She had to sacrifice her pride for her happiness. She thought back to her wish that she had foolishly uttered out loud, a few minutes ago. She knew the Goblin King had turned into an owl and vice versa in front of her very own eyes. She imagined he would feel great freedom soaring above the world and the Underground with nothing but hopes, dreams and wings to keep you from being claimed by gravity. The shower started getting colder by degrees before she mustered the energy to turn it off. Maybe she should become a pilot she thought to herself as she hugged a towel around her achey, neglected body.

Once in bed, she planned out her letter of resignation in her head, slowly drifting off with thoughts of hitting capitalism where it hurts and taking one for the workers of the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth stood upon the flagstone path, leaning over the low marble balustrade which looked down over his Labyrinth. He tapped his foot impatiently against the base of the balcony. There was a strange glow emitting from the Labyrinth that he had never seen before. The walls shimmered with hues of green making the whole kingdom look like a mirage. Jareth sent crystal after crystal into the labyrinth to give him a diagnostic. Now he was waiting for news of the inexplicable haze over his land. His eyes narrowed and scanned for anything else unusual that stood out, but everywhere he looked it was the same. Just a blanket of thing, wispy green clouds. Slowly a crystal appeared in his outstretched and gloved hand. It was the diagnostic returned from the heart of the Labyrinth. He raised it up to eye level to discern its contents. Someone had made a wish. But not one that he was to fulfill. One that the Labyrinth had intercepted and kept for itself to do with as it desired. Jareth raised his head back up to the offending maze with a scowl deeply etched on his face. He could not tell what the wish was nor who made the wish. All he could make out was that a wish was made and intercepted.

"What is your game?" he asked out loud as he surveyed the green mist.

In an instant he was gone and reappeared deep in the hedge maze, just as the fog started to dissipate.

Jareth peered down into the rustling undergrowth at his feet.

"Ah, what have we here?"


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Sarah was vaguely aware of dawn approaching as she rose to consciousness. Without opening her eyes she stretched out her limbs only to discover how different she felt. Bleary eyed, she started to wake up and take in her surroundings and work out why her limbs were not responding as normal.

She was outside.

Through the brief glimpses she received as she blinked herself awake she could ascertain she was no longer indoors. She'd gone to sleep in her bed. Why was she outside? Like being doused in cold water she was suddenly awake and trying to sit up. Except the second thing she noticed was she was curled up under a hedge. Why was she outside and in a hedge? Filtered dawn light streamed through the gaps in the foliage, not enough to warm her but enough to ascertain her surroundings.

She made to move the branches out of her face with her arms. Except the third thing she noticed was she didn't have arms. She had wings.

She had wings? She must have been dreaming. She couldn't have wings. But sure enough as she again tried to move her arms she found she had wings. White and tan wings. Sarah tried to swear but she suddenly heard a screeching sound. It took her a moment to realise the sound was actually coming from her.

Oh no.

'Am I a bird?' She thought in a panic. She resumed looking around her body noticing very quickly that her head could turn far more easily than her own human neck. She would have gasped but again she uttered a single light shriek. She had a white body and her wings were a medley of white and very light brown. If she didn't know better she would have guessed she was a barn owl.

'Am I Jareth right now? Have we swapped bodies?' She thought amidst her shock. She tried scrambling her way out of the Bush but the twigs just snagged on her delicate feathers. Sarah would have groaned if she could. Stuck as an owl and stuck in a thick hedge. It had to be a dream. Yet it felt so real. She could feel the tug and pull of the twigs on her wings. She could feel the early morning sun beating it's way through the canopy above her to warm her owl body. She could smell the loamy earth under her feet. No, not her feet. Her talons. She looked down at them as she clenched and unclenched her razor sharp talons. An idea sparked in her brain. She could use her razor sharp talons to fight her way out. She gingerly lifted one claw up and squeezed her muscles to practice her movements. Then without further ado, she grasped the branches within her reach, and slowly lifted her wings to keep her balance. It was arduous work and she was so busy fighting through the tangles of branches that she didn't hear when someone approached her.

"Ah, what have we here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth spotted a flash of white and tan in the brambles below the hedge maze. He heard a few cursory screeches and scratching of claws and ruffling of feathers. He lowered his body to sit on his haunches and with a gloved hand, parted the leaves and twigs away to see his quarry. Stuck within the hedge was a barn owl, fighting for freedom. Not just any barn owl, but Jareth instantly recognised it as a female barn owl. Taking pity on his kindred animal spirit, he snapped some of the branches to ease the bird's escape. That's when she noticed him. She stopped her frantic movements to face him. She froze, eyes widening. Jareth cocked his head to the side as he watched her reaction.

"You're in quite the tangle there aren't you little lady?" Jareth softly asked the now terrified owl. "Let's get you out of there."

He reached his gloved hands into the undergrowth to help ease the owl out but she suddenly started hissing and backing away. Owls were predators but still vulnerable in certain situations. He saw her fear and empathised completely. He scanned the owl from head to talon and wondered why the Labyrinth brought an owl into his world. They did not exist in his world, and were very much an Aboveground bird. One that he adopted the form of so he could travel between worlds without notice. He spared a fleeting thought for the intercepted wish that brought him here and considered if the owl and the wish were connected in any way. His brief train of thought was cut off by an indignant screech from the trapped bird.

Jareth rocked back to sit on his booted heels and smirked. "Trust me, I understand your fear, wee one, but I mean you no harm. I am very familiar with your kind."

Jareth pondered if showing her his owl form would ease her mind, but knowing this was an actual owl and not a magical shapeshifter, hindered this thought. She wouldn't trust an unknown male barn owl any easier than a fae man. He settled on breaking a few more branches getting closer and closer to the captive owl. He hummed quietly an old fae tune to help reassure the helpless bird.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Sarah heard the snapping of branches, she paused what she was doing and turned to face the offending sound. Her little bird heart froze in her feathered chest. It was none other than the Goblin King himself, crouched down trying to clear the branches away from her. Not only was she vulnerable as a bird but she must be in the Underground. She had not been this terrified since he'd sent the cleaners after her. Or her slide down to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

So her list of problems had grown exponentially. Not only was she stuck as an owl, but also down in the Labyrinth and Jareth is the first creature she finds. Or rather the first creature that finds her. This was not good. Her panic must have been obvious as Jareth tried to calm her down. He didn't seem to be aware of who she was, which gave her some relief. Perhaps he just thought of her as an ordinary owl. She started to conjecture on how an ordinary owl would behave when stuck in a hedge, but decided her current route of panicking can't be far from reality. She also considered that he was her best chance of getting out of this mess in the first place, as her efforts had been pretty futile.

He started humming a tune as he broke the final branches keeping her imprisoned. As he used his hands to untangle the twigs from her feathers she clicked her beak at him to remind him she was a very angry owl indeed. As she felt the last tether release from her new body, she started to flap her wings widely, screeching at the top of her lungs (meanwhile praying she wasn't making a mating call) and scratching the ground. Thankfully, Jareth backed up a little giving her a glimpse of freedom. In a burst of white feathers and screeches she steamrolled out of the hedge and into the pathways of the labyrinth. She didn't know how to fly but she knew how to run. Sarah was awkward and ungainly on her new limbs, but she put her heart and soul into her escape, not even giving a second thought as to whether Jareth was following her or not. After what felt like forever she slowed down and tried to catch her breath. Her wee owl lungs heaved with the effort of her fight for freedom.

But now as Sarah decelerated and started recuperating she commenced reasoning about her predicament. What on earth was she going to do? Stuck as an owl and in the labyrinth? She couldn't communicate her needs. She couldn't make her way to the centre and say her right words. She was well and truly trapped. Even if she found Hoggle or Ludo or Sir Didymus, they'd only know her as an owl. They may even confuse her with Jareth (she obviously had answered the question of whether they had swapped bodies, having recently seen the Goblin King in the flesh). It seemed to Sarah that her throwaway wish had come true, except she had no idea how to fly. And even if she did, where on earth would she fly? It would make no difference, flying or not. She was stuck here. The most doleful sound she could make escaped her beak.

The sun was getting higher and the bright light was starting to sting her sensitive eyes. She needed to find somewhere dark and soon. But she couldn't see a thing over the high hedges in her short new body. Not even the rough location of the castle. She shuffled into the shade provided by the shrubbery without getting too close. If she got tangled again, she doubt she'd have the Goblin King too rescue her a second time.

The Goblin King. He was not what she had expected on a second meeting. He was less cruel, less stern than she remembered through her run. More gentle and helpful than she'd ever consider giving him credit for. He did after all get her out of her predicament and his manner was almost kind. Granted he didn't know who she was and he probably was different with animals than he was with his own kind or humankind. He looked the same however. Not that she paid too much attention in her harried state. And she didn't see much of him through the hedge, save his leather gloves, wild blonde hair and his blue mismatched eyes that she would recognise anywhere. She wondered how he'd react if he discovered who she was. Would he help her turn back into herself? Or would he punish her for her victory in her run? Was he punishing her now? She thought back to her wish. She'd wished to fly away like the owl in her painting. He was the only being she knew that granted wishes. Well she got what she wished for. His punishment was complete indeed. There was no brother to win back this time. Nothing to guide her to that final point. She was an owl. How could she change that? Maybe if she bet the labyrinth in 13 hours as an owl she could turn back into herself? Then perhaps Jareth would have given her those guidelines? Perhaps it had been a mistake to run away from him so quickly. Fuck. Sarah wished she could swear but all that came out was that high pitched screeching noise. Her thoughts returned to her last run and ultimately her brother, Toby. Now 11 years old and she missed him greatly. Not just because she was an owl in a magical realm, but because she'd moved a fair distance away from her family home and it had been an age since she saw them all. She was deep in thought ruminating about her family, when a shadow passed over the path that Sarah was resting on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Normally a wild animal rushing off for their freedom would give the King no second thought. But it was a bird from the mortal realm, and one that was the female of his own second form at that. As she took off, running, he noticed, but not flying, he started to convert to his owl form. He was unsure why she wasn't flying but if she took to the skies, he'd have better luck catching her as an owl than a fae. He considered that she may be injured for her to choose the slower method of escape, as he took wing. It didn't take long to find her as she darted through the hedge maze, finally coming to rest just short of the wise man's garden. He circled around a few times, scanning the poor flightless owl. If real Owls could be contemplative, she was certainly the picture of that right now, huddled in the shadows, staring into space, unmoving.

He circled lower and landed gently about 3 metres away from where she cowered. He approached her as an owl, watching as her head turned to face him. She should have heard him well before now, he thought to himself. Barn Owls had incredible hearing but by the way she turned and looked at him and then reacted, she'd only just noticed him. Perhaps she was injured after all. He hopped closer to her. He gave a few chirps that he hoped was reassuring to her. He wanted to ascertain that it was safe and uninjured and then figure out what the labyrinth was up to in blocking a wish. And if this owl had anything to do with it. If she was caught up in a wish, it was better to have her close by and safe. She wasn't running away from him this time, but she did appear cautious and guarded. She was quite a pretty owl, he thought, as he looked into her heart shaped face. He wondered, vainly, if the owl would feel the same about him, if he was a real owl. He found himself preening slightly as he stood before her. She just clicked her mandibles together and hissed quietly. A warning. She was still defensive. He argued internally, pondering his next move. He didn't want to frighten her by turning into a fae in front of her eyes. Maybe he should befriend her as an owl first. He cocked his head at her as she hunched down on herself. No feathers seemed to be out of place and she didn't appear to be in pain from what he could tell. He was taken back then, when she suddenly hurled herself away from him and tried to take flight. Like a fledgling, she was uncoordinated and unbalanced. But unlike a fledgling, she didn't get a handle on flight and came crashing down to the ground in no time at all.

Jareth reacted quickly. He resumed his fae form and scooped the dazed bird up in his arms. He knew that a barn owl defence was to lie on its back and kick out with its legs, so he quickly conjured up a towel to restrain her and transported himself straight into his castle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah's attempt at flying was a failure. She was now the captive of the Goblin King. Oh if he knew who she was, oh how he'd crow. How smug would he be if he knew Sarah was the helpless bird in his arms? She wasn't injured but she was certainly dazed. She cursed at herself. How could she try to fly with no idea how to do so? It apparently was meant to take more than just flapping her wings and hoping for the best but when she'd seen Jareth in owl form right in front of her, she had been spooked and then fight or flight kicked in. Clearly flight was not the winning choice.

Sarah could have fought but in reality what other choice did she have? She'd have to eat which meant hunting, but hunting meant flying. She suddenly became aware of bodily functions that in her panic had no time to consider. She couldn't just ask the Goblin King to escort her to the toilet. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt the need to toilet. Taking a shit on the goblin king certainly had its merit but even so. Her pride could not let her foul herself like that. She was starting to overthink it. And the more she thought about it, the more she really wanted to relieve herself, but the more her human pride fought against that idea.

Before her bodily instincts kicked in, however, she realised they had transported to a new location, and she was placed down on a hard surface and the towel removed. She looked around and her beak almost dropped open in shock.

She was in the most beautiful indoor garden she'd ever seen. High above her head were glass panels enclosing all these wild beautiful plants, trees and flowers the likes of which Sarah could only imagine. She heard moving water and spied a wee river running through a rockery and some beautiful shrubs and greenery. It was idyllic with the light streaming in and dancing around the light mist caused by the little rapids in the water feature. Sarah had enough time to notice little paths cutting through all the plants and trees and how she longed to walk through as a human. It was quite the indoor fairy forest.

"You'll be pretty safe in here," she heard Jareth say in a soft rumbling baritone, bringing her out of her reverie and admiration for this beautiful place. She saw him standing in front of her and she guessed by his height in relation to her, that the marble surface she was standing on, was a table.

"You don't appear to be injured or in pain," He continued. "Shock and a bit dazed perhaps. But my little lady, you shouldn't be here."

Sarah froze. Does he know who I am?

"No, you shouldn't be here at all."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

"No, you shouldn't be here at all."

Sarah ground her mandibles and widened her eyes, but she stood stock still. Did he know she was from Aboveground? She clicked her beak a few times before giving a low hiss, while she ruffled her plumage.

"We don't have barn Owls down here in the Underground," He raised an eyebrow. "So how did you get here my wee feathered friend?"

Whew. He seemed to be talking generically and not specifically about her.

"That's what I need to find out," Jareth said more to himself. "Meanwhile you'll be safe in this garden. It is fully enclosed so you can't get out and so nothing can get in. Except for me of course. I'm aware there is very little hunting in here but based on your lack of flight, I don't think you'll be much of a hunter right now."

Sarah clicked her beak. Her pride wouldn't hear of her being less than capable even if she wasn't naturally an owl. She moved to the edge of the marble table with cautious movements. It couldn't be that hard to float to the ground and gain some distance between her and the King of the Goblins. He watched from the other end of the table with a curious look.

"My, you are interesting indeed. You don't seem to behave at all like a regular owl, yet I don't detect any trace of magic about you. The only magic in here I can sense is my own and that of the Labyrinth's."

He ran his hand through his wispy blonde locks, before he smirked and turned away without another word. Sarah noticed for the first time that he was wearing clothes similar to when she'd met him in the tunnels during her run.

Soon she was alone. And reminded painfully that she needed to relieve herself. She scooted over to the edge and spread her wings and hopped off. Thankfully her wings did offer some resistance and she landed with a soft thud, before she scrambled over to the nearest bush to answer the call of nature. Then she hopped over to the river and ducked down for a drink. Unsure what she was to do for food, now that she was becoming more aware of herself outside of her panic. Jareth had mentioned how there would be no hunting, but it wasn't like he would rustle up a hamburger for her. And even if he did, could her new digestive system handle it? She suddenly wished she had done more research on barn Owls having known Jareth was one for quite some time. But to be fair, who would have ever assumed she'd turn into a barn owl?

Sarah decided to check out the perimeter and ensure there was no way out. While she was glad to be safe from enemies, she wasn't too pleased to be kept in His Majesty's Pleasure. But what other choice did she have? As far as she could see, she had none. She did not know how she was here, aside from her wish, but it didn't seem like Jareth had been the one to grant it. Otherwise he'd know who she was and he'd know why she didn't belong. He seemed just as perplexed as her. She had to wonder why he cared about something so insignificant as a misplaced owl. Was there more to him than the villain she met on her run? She had to admit that she was surprised by the beauty of this inside garden. She had seen his chicken faece strewn throne room and he didn't seem to care much about beauty outside of his own self. Sarah balked at her sudden correlation between beauty and Jareth. But shook it off. He was aesthetically pleasing, there was no denying that. You'd have to be a simpleton to not see how attractive he was. It didn't mean she was going to marry him and have all his babies just because he was pleasant to look at.

Sarah was blown away by the green vision all around her, slowly taking her mind off the beauty of Jareth's face. The harmony of the sounds of running water, and the lush greenery peppered with so many different colours. Even the best winter or botanical garden couldn't compare to what she was seeing. It took her awhile to ascertain that she was indeed without an exit. Her next plan of action was to find somewhere cool to rest after the ordeal of the day. She had an abundance of choices but settled on a little rocky outcrop circled by plants that provided an owl sized cave for her. Sarah shuffled in and puffed her plumage around her as she settled in. Maybe when she had a rest she could dig around for some bugs or something to eat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth left the owl in the conservatory garden to go straight to the labyrinth. The Owl's appearance was unusual as an Aboveground bird. That in itself was enough to raise an eyebrow, but that it coincided with an interrupted wish, was cause for alarm. He felt the innocent bird deserved to be kept safe, but he was approaching the issue with caution all the same. He spirited himself to the centre of the Labyrinth and entered the hidden door only he could see. Down the dimly lit corridors into the very bowels of the Labyrinth Jareth traversed until he came to an alcove.

"Enavilia!" He summoned the Labyrinth's guardian. Or rather the personification of the labyrinth.

A sexless ghostly figure appeared in the alcove almost instantly.

"I've been expecting you," said a voice that was as sexless as its form. "You may begin your questioning."

Jareth scowled, still unused to being told what to do after so many centuries a King. "Why were you expecting me?"

Jareth raised one perfect eyebrow at Enavilia, despite his awareness that the spirit cared naught for facial expressions and social cues.

"You have questions and require my answers. I expected you to come and ask them."

Jareth ground his teeth. Enavilia was as evasive as usual. They mostly had had a good working relationship, but it had somewhat been rocked by the victory of that human mortal child, ten years prior. The Labyrinth was giddy in its revelation of the human's success, and it boiled Jareth's blood to see such joy at his expense. He had never known the Labyrinth to be so emotional, as it was at Jareth's defeat. Nor at his own heartbreak, which is something only Enavilia knew the true depth of. He pinched the bridge of his nose. It wouldn't do to dwell on Sarah now. Even as he brooded over her name, he was flooded by feelings of grief and shame. Grief for his lost opportunity and shame that he was thwarted by a mere mortal teenager. He had to admit to a certain amount of pride that she had been noble enough to reject him for her brother. It would have disappointed him if she had chosen her dreams over her sibling. It eased the pain of his defeat slightly. He closed his eyes and released a breath.

"You intercepted a wish," was all Jareth said.

"I did," was the indifferent reply.

"Why did you intercept a wish and hide it's content and the wisher from me? I'm guessing it is not a wished away child." An indignant eyebrow was raised by the Goblin King.

"No, it was not," Enavilia agreed. "I chose to intercept the wish because it was my wish to do with what I will. If you had received the wish, I feared the wish would be... corrupted."

"Corrupted?" Jareth exclaimed grinding his boots into the dusty cavern floor, in anger and confusion. "I have always done my duty. I..."

"Yes you have until you were compromised."

Jareth didn't need to ask to know the Labyrinth was referring to Sarah's run and his possible manipulation of time and space that had occurred during her 10 hours with him.

"So what is this wish, that you feel I am not to be trusted with?" Jareth ground out with forced civility.

"Ah, it is not time."

"Is it to do with the owl?" Jareth was verging on petulance.

"Time will tell."

"Are you safe? Are the labyrinth and my subjects all safe?"

"Yes, there is no danger. Time will give you the answers you seek. Remember Goblin King, be your true self and you will find the answers you're looking for."

Enavilia started fading when Jareth bit out one more question. "Why can't the owl fly?"

Before Enavilia faded completely, it turned and eyed Jareth with wariness. "She needs to learn to fly, Jareth, in more ways than one. Will you teach her? Will you give her that heady freedom you yourself covet and crave? Or will you keep her trapped at your whim?"

With that Enavilia faded, leaving Jareth to puzzle over its words completely alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah woke from her nap and made haste to a bush to take care of business. She recalled her plan to dig around for bugs, and so took herself to an area where the earth looked soft enough. Stretching her surprisingly long leg she clawed her talons into the undergrowth and repeated the process with her other leg. It didn't take long before she unearthed a worm.

'It's no 3 course meal or gourmet buffet,' Sarah thought in distaste. 'It's not even a street kebab or greasy overcooked burger.'

Sarah internally sighed and with as much of a grimace an owl could muster, she bent down to pick up the worm in her beak, closed her large eyes and swallowed the slimy invertebrate. She suppressed a shudder before resuming her hunt for food. 6 worms, 12 beetles and numerous ants, later Sarah felt that a dent had been made in her hunger and she went for another quick drink in the stream. It was then she noticed she wasn't alone. Sitting in a tree nearby was another owl. Watching her with what looked like some rodent dangling from its beak. Instinctively she knew this was Jareth and wondered how he had got in without the door being opened or closed, before it occurred to her that he probably could do magic in his owl form as well as his fae form. He probably just poofed in while she was ferreting around in the dirt for food.

The owl, having noticed that he was spotted, swooped down towards her dropping the nearly dead rodent at her feet and then cooking his head at her in question. Sarah mimicked his look before glancing down at the barely alive, bloodied creature in front of her. Her owl self needed to satiate her empty stomach, but her human sensibilities revolted at having to consume such a fare. She knew enough about Owls to know that she'd have to eat it whole and then vomit hair and bones back up like some plot device in a horror film.

But she had to eat and she had to pretend to be a normal owl so Jareth wouldn't get suspicious of her. Would a normal owl accept the offering of food from another owl? Unless they were mates or offspring? Sarah balked at the idea of Jareth as her mate and having fluffy little owl babies together. She had to get out of here and she had to figure out how to return to her human form.

She glanced up to find him still watching her and without any more hesitation she grabbed the rodent and took off into the trees, to consume the animal in private. Like the bugs she closed her eyes and just swallowed the rodent without thinking too much about it. Once done, she headed back to the stream to drink and clean herself. Once water had been imbibed, Sarah started fluffing her feathers and used her beak to clean as well as she could like birds she had observed over her lifetime.

She became aware that Jareth was watching her again. She shook her feathers and looked at him. Even in owl form there was something captivating about him. He had majestic grace even as an animal. As she watched, he spread his wings, let out a shriek and took to the air. She watched him glide around the canopy of the trees, occasionally beating his wings before coming back to Earth in the same spot he had left.

He cocked his head and clicked his mandibles while staring at her. Was he trying to show her how to fly? Was that a demonstration? Sarah shuffled from one talon to the other, shaking her wings in indecision. An age seemed to pass as they stood facing each other, Jareth materialised back into his fae self.

Crouched down on his haunches, he looked down on her with raised brows and slight smirk. "If you would permit me the honour of teaching you to fly, I think I would then be able to send you back home Aboveground where you belong. Because that's where you hail from, little one. You are not of magic, you are not of the Underground. Yet there is something about you. You act most un-owl like. I do wonder..."

Sarah was both fascinated by him and his voice, whilst trying to act like she didn't have a clue what he was saying. She ruffled her feathers and then slowly scratched in the dirt for good measure. She wondered how Jareth had so many chickens, if Owls like her didn't belong in his world. Were they also kidnapped by goblins? Or were they like her? Humans trapped in a fowl body? Or were they native to the Underground? It probably has been so long since they were introduced that it wouldn't matter now. But did that mean human-cum-chicken were reproducing with each other? Sarah shuddered causing her plumage to ruffle and shake. Jareth was her way out. She would only have to learn to fly, and he would send her home. But would she still be stuck as an owl? It was the closest thing she had to hope so she accepted it. She'd take his help and pray it meant her total freedom and not just her avian freedom. Oh but if he found out who she was...he'd probably turn her into a chicken. And then bog her. Then drop her into an oubliette just for good measure.

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Jareth had decided to take the Labyrinth's advice and teach his new bird friend how to fly. She didn't follow his lead as an owl so he thought he'd try and teach her as a fae. He allowed a bit of magic to flow through him to ease her mind, help her trust him and also to help them communicate with each other. He had a bit of an affinity with other Owls when he travelled Aboveground, so he could pick up on certain tells. He knew that this owl was an unsure but brave creature, who somehow was more than it seemed. She seemed almost humanoid in her mannerisms, like he was himself, but he could detect no magic from her. He didn't immediately dismiss the thought of a human being trapped as an owl, but he thought it unlikely. The last human who came here was Sarah and the connection between world's was starting to fade. Her last words to him had stopped him from seeing her or going to her in any way. He learnt from that damned dwarf how she was doing as he often still spoke to her through the mirror portals. He cocked his head at the trembling little raptor and considered if it was Sarah. And instantly scoffed at himself. Why would it be her? She wasn't daft enough to make a wish again. No, he surmised it was most likely an ordinary owl being affected by the labyrinth and the latent magic that floated around; making her appear an oddity. He just had Sarah on his mind after his confrontation with Enavilia. That was all. He scooted forward and gently offered his hand to the wary owl.

"To learn to fly, you must learn to reuse your wings, come to me now and I will show you."

A glazed look passed over Sarah's eyes which told him the magic was taking effect. She hopped obediently over to him, and he picked her up gently, carried her to the marble table and placed her down upon it with utmost care.

"Let me tell you a story," he sat on a marble bench as he started his tale. "Once upon a time, there was a King who ruled over many goblins in a vast and expansive land. His goblins were a rowdy and unruly bunch who being hardy and mischievous would often ascend to the Aboveground and bring back pilfered items. A junk yard grew beyond the borders of the Goblin city of the things they brought back but had forgotten to treasure. But they got greedy. And they started to bring back children to play with. Of course items and objects are replaceable so the Goblin King had paid no never mind to the scores of rubbish that built up. But he did mind when they started bringing babies and children. Parents and families would be distraught and their dreams turned to nightmares. It turned our world darker. It had to be stopped. So the Goblin King in all his grace, built the labyrinth. A challenge for those humans who wished away or were careless enough to lose their babies to the goblins, because as it turned out the Goblins selected those children that had been left alone and neglected. Unusually moralistic behaviour but there you go. As time moved on the goblin king could not appear on the surface dressed as a fae. So he had to find a way to travel Aboveground to offer his challenge to those families of the Goblin's new playmates. He chose an owl form in which to travel between the worlds."

He paused as he watched the owl take it all in.

"I'm going to call you Sive," he suddenly thought. "You remind me of an old friend of mine. She was as inquisitive and curious as you are."

The owl blinked her eyes but gave no other reaction.

"So Sive, I chose the owl form to travel between the worlds. But first I had to learn to fly..."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Sarah had listened to Jareth's tale with rapt fascination even to the point she forgot she was an owl and shouldn't really be listening to his tale at all. So she had to learn how to fly? And he was going to teach her. Maybe after the wish was fulfilled she could return to her human form and go home. She wondered if she could say hello to Hoggle and co, before she went back. Would he allow that? Perhaps not. It would seem a wasted journey if she didn't get to see them. But self preservation comes first. She would rather go home safely than see her friends, as sad as that made her. She watched his cool mismatched blue eyes appraise her. She had never seen his face so mask free, so gentle, so caring (dare she say it). She shuddered at the thought of his face hardening when and if he discovered it was her. A new plan sprung to mind like a bolt of lightning. Jareth didn't grant her wish, but someone or something did. She would have to find out who or what and ask them. The urgency to learn to fly was never more forceful than it was in that single moment. She had a plan. Well, the start of a plan. She could track down this unknown entity once she could fly. If flying wasn't the answer to all of this anyway. She hoped it was as simple as learning to fly. Then she could just go home, but at least she had the forgings of a back up plan.

Sarah fluffed her feathers in excitement. Sarah thrived on having plans. It gave her hope. Her situation wasn't as hopeless as it first appeared to be. She had a plan, that Jareth would help her with and if that failed, she had a second option. Sarah's melancholy sobered up. Though it briefly occurred to her that if she was in her human form, she'd be feeling things a lot deeper than she was. She had enough self-awareness to realise her owl form muted her deepest feelings. They were there, but she couldn't explore or feel them to that natural extent of her human self would. Mostly she felt her hunger, thirst, survival instincts and everything else felt almost unnatural in this body. Like they didn't belong. Would she acclimatise to this body over time? Would she forget who she was? Sarah wanted to swear loudly to snap herself out of the melancholy she felt herself slipping back into. But instead she just gave a strangled half shriek that took Jareth by surprise.

He was watching her with amusement, lighting up his eyes.

"So Sive, are you ready to fly?" he asked. Sarah wondered who the Sive she was named after was, and if Jareth actually had any friends, let alone old ones. "The first step is learning your wings."

He reached out slowly and took one wing in his gloved hands. Sarah found herself unable to even resist as he stretched out her wing, but she would have gasped with shock if she could as Jareth suddenly ran his gloved finger down the wing. He was surprisingly gentle and soft, and Sarah couldn't help but enjoy the sensation. It was akin to someone tenderly running their fingers down her arms, and making her spine and scalp shiver in pleasure. Sarah was so taken by the feeling, that she almost didn't hear Jareth talking about the different types of wing feathers and how to use them. She spent the next ten minutes trying to commit the names and functions to memory as he touched each part of her wing in a tender, caring way. Then he went on to explain the art of flying, showing her with both wings spread, how to move her wings in different altitudes, weather patterns and circumstances, pointing out that tail feathers and legs also played an important role in flight. He would then quiz her, asking her to show him what wing patterns to use in each scenario, without his help. Sarah felt compelled to follow his instructions, and she suspected no small measure of magic was used to do so. The rest of the day went on in a similar pattern, until Jareth stopped, stood up and stretched.

"I think that is enough for today," he gave her a crooked half smile. "Tomorrow we will start with demonstrations of taking off. Right now, it is time for me to have some dinner."

He held out his hand and magicked up some blankets. "You are mostly a nocturnal bird but have been awake during the day, I suggest you get some rest and start to adjust your body clock to sleeping during the day and active at night."

He placed the blankets into the alcove she had rested in earlier and then poofed himself out of existence. Sarah felt the compulsion spell she had suspected she was affected by, dissipating as soon as he left her. Still, she was tired so hopped off the table and made her way to her owl cave. As she was reaching it, she suddenly noticed Jareth poofing back. This time he had a meal and a book. He settled on the table and looked to where she was standing on the path watching him.

"I don't often get intelligent company, so I thought I would join you," he smirked, as he crossed his feet at the ankle. "Trust me, you may not talk or communicate with me in any way, but that is a thousand times better than eating dinner with goblins present. Perhaps you wouldn't mind the company either. You can take your nap once I have retired for the night."

Sarah could have laughed at the casual way he felt he could command animals as well as goblins. What should have been a laugh, just translated as Sarah's feathers bristling and a low hiss emanating from her beak. Part of her, the stubborn part, wanted to scoff and disobey him, but another part was intrigued and curious about him. She could watch him and learn about him, without fear of judgement or scorn. So she stayed where she was and just rearranged her feathers as he ate.

Without warning, Jareth started talking and a few moments later she realised he was reading out loud to her from his book. It was in a language she didn't understand, but his voice was melodic and strangely comforting, so it was no hardship to listen to it. Sarah wondered why it was strangely soothing. Was it because she was here against her will, and he was showing her kindness, albeit unknowingly? Was it just a matter of the devil you know? She didn't know, but all her inner turmoil felt settled as she listened to his calming, melodic voice. The voice that had sung for her once upon a time. A voice that was its own brand of magic. Shame, that such a beautiful voice was attached to a cruel, kidnapping Goblin King, Sarah thought as she listened to him read between mouthfuls of his stew. He'd look over towards her every now and then as if making sure his captive audience was still present. Sarah was careful to avoid eye contact and as tired as she was, she kind of didn't want this to end. She was relatively safe in his company, no cleaners, no challenges to beat, no ulterior motives, no responsibility. Just her and Jareth companionably sharing space. Shooting him coy looks gave her fleeting moments of gratification as she had never seen someone eat stew in such a beautiful way, with grace and decorum that was almost hypnotising.

An hour or so passed, when he finally left her for good this time. She nestled into her blanketed cave and slept deep into the night.

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Jareth didn't know what was drawing him to the owl, but as he returned to his bedchamber he questioned the decision to keep her company over dinner. The more time he spent with her the more he thought her un-owl-like. Even without his compulsion spell, she was responsive and not at all acting like a wild creature, though she did seem to catch herself every now and then and start acting like a wild owl. Perhaps it was all just wishful thinking. Perhaps he was reading too many mortal fairy tales where wishes came true. Perhaps she was a pet owl that got caught up in a wish. Her wings hadn't been clipped so that didn't explain why she couldn't fly. But it was still more rational and reasonable than imagining a human trapped as an owl. And a particular human at that. That was his wish after all. Not to turn Sarah into an owl, but to see Sarah again. He had spent many years angry that she had denied him, but as time wore on, his feelings softened again towards her. But his hands were tied. She would have to ask for him, and until then, he would never see her again. And she was unlikely to ever ask to see him. But the owl had reminded him of her, with her large curious eyes and her stubbornness and determination. He almost imagined her defiant look in owl form and could almost see it in front of him. But he was just seeing what he wanted to see. He sighed. It would do no good to dwell on the impossible. He wasn't even sure that Sarah would take well to seeing him again, even if she was to call on him. But he comforted himself with imagining the owl was Sarah and that he could help her and she could see the different side of him. The side Labyrinth runners don't get to see, as he has to play the game by the rules. And Sarah definitely didn't get to see the side of him that he so desperately wanted to show her. This human had captured his interest for years when he went flying Aboveground. He watched her grow and take on the labyrinth challenge like no one before her. She was his Champion. So he named the owl Sive, a Gaelic form of Sarah. To remind him that he could be bested and pride came before a fall, and yet he could find redemption in helping even the smallest creature find happiness. Was that why he was doing this? Not just self redemption after his failure, but to prove himself to Sarah? He thought back to what the Labyrinth had told him.

"She needs to learn to fly, Jareth, in more ways than one. Will you teach her? Will you give her that heady freedom you yourself covet and crave? Or will you keep her trapped at your whim?"

Ah yes that heady freedom. Flying had always been his escape. His freedom. From the Goblins. From responsibility. From his cares. He wasn't exactly overjoyed to be King of the Goblins. It wasn't exactly the most prized position. Flying represented more than just freedom from gravity. It was so much more. So his owl, Sive, did she want the same? Is that what the labyrinth referred to? Did she want more than just the mechanics of flying? Did she need the literal as well as the figurative freedom that flying offered?

He bit his lips with his sharp pointy teeth as he thought of Sarah and whether she was happy in her life without him. Would she want freedom from her life? Did this desire bring her to him? No. He had to stop thinking it was her. When all was said and done he didn't want his heart to be crushed again. There was one way to find out if the owl was Sarah. He could talk to her friends and get them to talk to her. If they couldn't find her then it would increase the chances that she was his captive barn owl. And if they found her it would prove it wasn't. But his pride stopped him from making those inquiries. He was King. It was below him to stoop to asking his subjects such questions. He felt he had a right to know the whereabouts of the Labyrinth's Champion, HIS Champion, and shouldn't have to demean his status by asking those lower than himself. Why should they have knowledge of HIS Sarah when he didn't even know if she was alive and well? But she was under the protection of the Labyrinth. Of course she was. Protected from him, as if he meant her harm. If the Labyrinth had any power to usurp a wish, it should be that wish of the one who denied him. But why would she make such a wish? It didn't make sense. Unless she was unhappy. And round and around these thoughts went through his head without end. Convincing and unconvincing himself in an endless cycle that his owl was his Sarah. And wasn't his Sarah. Like a small child playing with a flower, pulling the petals off; he loves me, he loves me not: she is my Sarah. She isn't my sarah. He summoned a crystal and like the ten years before it remained blank when he asked to see Sarah. He cursed and hurled the crystal across the room, shattering it into thousands of shards against the brick wall. With a growl he transformed into a raptor and took off into the night.

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Sarah awoke to the conservatory in semi darkness, lit by the moonlight streaming in through the glass that surrounded the garden. It sparkled off the moving water and the topsides of the leaves lending even more beauty to the enchanting surrounds. She felt well rested after her nap. Time to start adjusting to being a night owl. She stretched her wings and went for an amble around the garden. Looking up and out to the labyrinth below and around the castle, she saw a white fleck moving fast with the wind.

Jareth.

Sarah ground her beak and clicked a few times. She was certainly confused by his gentleness. It didn't seem like the kind of thing the Jareth of her past would offer. The saying "things are not always what they seem," was true enough in this circumstance. The urge to follow him the skies was strong. She wanted to feel the wind in her feathers. To soar and duck and dive through the clouds like he was. As she watched him she tried to see it from his perspective. She was that bird, flying high over the Labyrinth, looking down on the endless maze, seeing its walls change as she flew. Ducking and diving, changing altitude as she hit a patch of turbulence. How it must feel to defy gravity and soar so high and unbound. She heard him screech as he sailed closer to the castle. Sarah found herself echoing the screech subconsciously, as he was silhouetted by the moon. It was a scene out of many paintings she had seen over the years. The owl symbology had followed her around for the past decade. Whilst it may have been purely coincidental, she had begun to think they had appeared to make her feel guilty for her decisions in the past. The decision to wish away her brother. And the decision to leave Jareth. Though she knew she didn't really have a choice in that resolution. She had to save her brother and she had to return to her life. But her life was suffocating her now. Her relationships with her family were strained and outside of that she had no relationship to speak of. Seeing the owl symbols everywhere was a reminder that her life was exactly the penance she should pay for her careless and selfish wish. Her Aboveground misery was proof enough for her lack of responsibility leading to her own wretchedness. But as she watched Jareth ascend and plummet, before ascending again, she thought her life could be different now she had made a new wish. She watched for what felt like hours before he returned to the castle. Sarah found herself looking forward to seeing him again soon. In her heart a bud started to bloom full of hope when all had felt so hopeless before.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

A few days passed with a similar routine. Jareth would take his morning and evening meals with Sarah and give her some flying lessons that were mostly theoretical in nature after breakfast. He'd read to her over dinner, and sometimes talk about his day if the mood struck him. Sarah was learning so much about him and could almost feel his sorrow and loneliness. He'd have to be pretty lonely anyway, to spend his days with a barn owl, Sarah thought.

In regards to flying Sarah had managed to jump from a height and wobble slightly in flight before plummeting to the ground. But it was progress. And Jareth had seemed so pleased with the little headway she had made.

She was getting used to being an owl with muted feelings. And having Jareth hunt wildlife for her. The vomiting up bones and fur was still an experience she couldn't wait to forgo. But she was beginning to feel less self conscious of her bodily functions than her human self was. She began to worry that it was permanent and she wouldn't remember herself soon. So she started chanting her family's names to herself in her head before she slept and when she woke up.

As she was starting to feel less like a stranger in this body than she had been, she kept an ongoing monologue in her head trying to remember all things human. Unfortunately that meant thinking a lot about Jareth as the closest link to humanity she had. However, he was kinder than ever. Even going so far as a friendly stroke down her back after her last flying lesson. She was taken by surprise and looked upon his mismatched eyes that looked down upon her with a warmth Sarah couldn't fathom.

"Ah Sive," he sighed. "Why are you here? Hmm? What brought you to me? Is this the price you have to pay for freedom?"

Then his eyes went cold and still as he watched Sarah bob her head and click her mandibles. And abruptly he left. That was the last time she'd seen him. Now she was busy grooming her feathers waiting for him to join her for their meal.

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Jareth was growing attached to the little owl. She couldn't talk but he sensed in her a soul that was compatible with his own. As the days wore on, and her progress increased he wondered if she would remain an owl, or she would truly transform under his tutelage. He'd look after her like a companion, a familiar, if she was to remain so. That was for sure. Why was he taking so long to teach her to fly? It shouldn't be this complicated. He had however less need for a compulsion spell. She seemed to want his help without magical manipulation. He knew now without a shadow of a doubt that the owl was human. Owls don't listen and they don't obey. She was more comprehending and obliging than any of the well trained dogs he had in his kennels. However, there had to be more at play than he could see. He had left Sive so abruptly when he registered his growing attachment to her. In that moment he had to visit the Labyrinth again for reassurance he was on the right track. Would it be better to have Sarah stuck as an owl or not at all? If she turned into human, she would have the free will to leave him again. He needed to know what her freedom entailed. So now he stood silently in the empty central cavern. The muted sounds of water dripping from above and the ghostly hum of air moving through the tunnels were his only companions while he waited. The occasional click of his boots could be heard as he started pacing in agitation against the dirty stone floor.

"Jareth," finally came the neutral voice of Enavilia. Jareth spun around to see the spirit almost floating towards the expansive wall of the cavern.

"Who is she?" Jareth questioned, as soon as his blue eyes landed on the ghostly form of the spirit of the Labyrinth.

"Who is who?" Enavilia replied with its own question, tilting its nearly transparent head to one side to study the Goblin King.

"The owl," Jareth breathed deeply to calm his rising ire.

"She is a barn owl from above," Enavilia answered bluntly.

Jareth scowled at the misty form of his once ally, turned almost enemy.

"She is more than that," Jareth contradicted through clenched teeth.

"Is she?"

"Who is she?" Jareth asked again. "Who have you turned into an owl? Why is the owl my responsibility? What is so significant about her? I have my guesses."

"What have you named her?"

"Sive," Jareth snapped. "Is that important?"

"It very well could be," they answered vaguely.

"If you have trapped Sarah..." Jareth started.

"Have you taught the bird to fly?" Enavilia interrupted, ignoring Jareth's name drop.

"She is getting there."

"Then your questions will be answered soon."

"Enavillia, I warn you if you have harmed Sarah, I will seek revenge upon you," Jareth growled, his pride burning. "You and you alone know what she means to me. You and you alone have the power to keep her from me. And you and you alone have the power to bring her back to me. Even if she wishes to see me, if she says the words, it is you that has the power to bring that wish to fruition. So I do not want to play your games anymore. You intercepted a wish, then this owl shows up, do you imagine me thick enough not to put two and two together? If I find that this owl is MY Sarah but she can not be human again, I will destroy you, no matter what it costs me."

A silence reigned for a few moments.

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"When she flies, will you offer her freedom or will you keep her contained?" Enavilia had their own set of questions now.

They had watched Jareth for many years. They knew his possessiveness and his selfishness. It had been his undoing when Sarah had run the Labyrinth. They knew they would have to play the long game to get what they needed for their Kingdom, what Jareth was too selfish to set free if he realised what he had caught. Because only if free, would a bird reach its potential. A caged bird sung a different tune to a free bird. But a free bird didn't necessarily mean it wouldn't come back. This was a gamble but it was the only way. Enavilia was speculating that the bird, once free, would choose to remain or return eventually, but if Jareth tried to keep it trapped it would grow resentful and any power it would have would diminish over time anyway. No, Jareth had to set her free. It was the only way to grow the owl's power and ultimately the Labyrinth's own power. In summary, to save itself from destruction. It was like a goldfish, they kept growing but if their pond is too small, their organs grow but the fish does not, resulting in death. You keep magical power in a vassal that has no freedom or will to use the power, it will cause destruction. Ah, but if you are a free being wielding magic, then you grow, learn and live with it. Such was the nature of Enavilia's magic contained within Sarah. Enavilia gloried at the image of their magic bound to a free being, it was giddy at the realisation of a human mortal being its vassal. Its Queen. It hadn't felt so giddy since the girl had defeated the Labyrinth which proved her worth, yet started the spiral of Jareth's own self-destruction. To save Jareth from ongoing destruction, he had to set the bird free, and let her return or stay as a free-being, not a prisoner. That was the only way. But first she had to learn to fly. It could have been so different if Sarah had made a wish to see Jareth or to come back underground. As she wished to fly like the owl in her painting, Enavilia had jumped at the opportunity (the first in ten years) to work the wish to their benefit, and ultimately that of Jareth's self-interest. That is, if he was courageous enough to let the owl assert her own free will. She was of a better age now, and the magic within her was ready to be utilised. The timing couldn't have been better, even if the nature of the wish could have. It was an awkward wish to work with, as how could Jareth be expected to bond with an owl that could not communicate, so that is why Enavilia came up with the plan that she could not be free until she flew. And she wouldn't fly until she bonded with the Goblin King.

Enavilia had used their magic to tie the owl to the Earth. She couldn't fly no matter how hard she tried, until the bond between Jareth and the avian creature grew bit by bit. Only when their bond deepened, the bird would learn to fly, the spell would be completely broken and the human could return to her usual form. Furthermore the Labyrinth was playing all its cards on having a strong enough bond between the two of them that she stayed with the king. They watched as the owl began to trust Jareth more and more. And as Jareth spent more and more time with the helpless creature. Each knew who the other was, though Jareth still wavered in his belief. But the plan was going swimmingly. If it wasn't, the owl wouldn't have made any progress. Any progress was proof that the bond was growing as they were a direct correlation of each other. Enavilia just prayed Jareth set her free in the end, a point that through all their ruminations, they kept coming back to. He had to set her free. He had to set her free. He had to set her free.

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"I can't imagine any reason why I would want to keep the bird once it has learnt to fly," Jareth shrugged, unconsciously running his hand through his untamed blonde hair. "Teaching her to fly: That's what you've asked of me and that's what I intend to do. And then it can go back to the Aboveground where the owl belongs."

Jareth's heart clenched at the thought of sending Sarah back up Aboveground. Then he still didn't have proof it was her. It was just an owl. Until he knew better he had to stop seeing things that weren't there. But if it was Sarah, would he let her go free? He'd have waited so long to get her back again, how could he just let her go? No. She would have to stay. He'd make her want and need to stay. Sarah was his mate, and he would be keeping her.

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A few more days had passed when Sarah had made tremendous advances. She actually hovered above the ground for at least 30 seconds. Not very high but it was a mammoth leap in progress. She couldn't help feeling pride at the look she received from Jareth. He was positively glowing. His smile actually touched his eyes.

"We're getting there, Little Sive," he acknowledged her improvement with a small chin rub which made Sarah unconsciously preen. He offered a wee meaty morsel in his gloved hands. Sarah cocked her head at it but joyously snapped it up, her heart soaring as the blonde haired fae grinned tenderly at her showing off his pointy teeth. He had started hand feeding her yesterday and while a bit unsure she was starting to trust this new gentle Jareth. He had done nothing but remain attentive to her. She had noticed the compulsion spell on her weakening over the last few days too. Almost like he trusted her as well. Of course she knew it would change if he found out who she was. But for now, she lapped up his attention and desired nothing but to learn how to fly with him as her tutor. During the day when she slept, she would dream of soaring through the skies with him and it was an exhilarating thought. One that she secretly hoped came true. Well, she would like at least one flight before she returned home. She was determined that she would return home. She couldn't kid herself that Jareth would want the person who defeated his Labyrinth to stick around. And she had family. She chanted their names in her head. Though the temptation of not returning to her work was sore. To not return to her miserable, lonely flat by herself with no time for friends or family, was a tick in the right box for staying here. She couldn't think like that. She had to learn to fly.

"How about tomorrow, we try this out in the outside gardens?" Jareth's baritone cut through her thoughts. "You may feel more inspired by the wind in your feathers and some fresh air."

With that he got up and strode across the gardens and left her, his boots echoing across the flagstone path that wend its way to the exit.

It was just after breakfast time, so Sarah went to bunk down for the day. She felt a magical ripple work its way through her body as she settled down. It was different to the compulsion spell and she hadn't felt its like before. However before she could dwell too deeply on it she had fallen asleep.

Before dusk Sarah started stirring. Her body felt very strange like prickles under her skin. She darted out of her cave and as she did so she felt her whole body tremble and there she stood in her human form but with alarm Sarah realised she was completely naked. And it wasn't long before Jareth would be joining her for dinner. She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth with surprise at hearing her own voice, rather than a raptor shriek, after nearly a fortnight.

Sarah reached into her owl cave for the blanket Jareth had put in there when she first arrived. She wrapped it around her body like a makeshift toga, and with haste she went deep into the bushes to hide. She couldn't be found by Jareth. A flare of anxiety shot through her stomach at the very thought. She went into the densest part of the garden and buried her body into an alcove made by rocks and a plant similar to bamboo but with giant pink flowers drooping from the canopy. She tried to settle her breathing and heart as she waited for Jareth to arrive, hoping he wouldn't find her. She was soon feeling quite cold having no longer the protection of her feathers and the blanket wasn't much of a substitute. She was shivering with cold and nerves by the time she became aware of Jareth's presence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth was looking forward to seeing Sive tonight. He had a bit of a gift for her alongside food he had hunted for her. It was customary that he gave her lessons in the morning before her nap, but today he was quite eager to give her a second lesson. She was making substantial progress that he felt keen to capitalise on. And he was sure his gift would spark some reaction from her, that could hint towards the answer of her identity.

Hoggle.

He didn't dare lower himself to ask Hoggle if he'd heard from Sarah but if he brought Hoggle in to his private garden on the basis of doing some grounds keeping, the owl would see him and may respond. It wasn't foolproof but it was a plan. So with that he entered the garden, as Hoggle nervously hobbled in behind him.

"Ok, Haggis," Jareth pointed a glove finger towards a nearby fountain. "That patch has become overgrown. Please tend to it."

Unbeknownst to Hoggle, Jareth had enchanted those weeds as the whole Garden lived on magic and never needed any mortal form of maintenance. The only way the garden would die, was if Jareth died.

It didn't take long for Jareth to realise Sive was not waiting for him like she usually was. A supposition occurred that she may have practiced her flying and was proudly waiting in the trees for him to see. So he looked up, reaching out with his magic for her. He frowned as he could not find her along the magical connection he had tentatively formed with her. His steps gained more haste as he walked through the garden, unaware of the puzzled look he was receiving from Hoggle. He couldn't call out to her with that blasted dwarf in the vicinity. He didn't want to draw attention to her just yet. But where was she? He reached out again and got a faint reading from his right. He peered into the gloom of the dusk ridden trees. After several more minutes of hunting for her, he cast a silencing spell on Hoggle so he couldn't hear him call out Sive's name.

Nothing. Silence.

With a snap he turned himself into an owl and shot up to the ceiling of the enclosed garden. Swooping in and out of the canopy looking for any sign of life. He could only sense Hoggle.

"Fuck," he thought angrily, indulging in a mortal swear word, as he dived down once again to search for the female raptor. Where was she? She couldn't have escaped? There was no way out even if she had learnt to fly. Did that damned Enavilia have something to do with this? Had he spirited her away? For what purpose? He let out an angry shriek and ascended again to search the canopy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~~~~~^^^^^^^~~~~~

Sarah heard Jareth calling her by her owl name and she pulled her knees tighter to her chest barely daring to breathe. She didn't want to be found. Not like this, naked and cold. She didn't want to be found by him. She wasn't ready. She glanced up when she saw a flash of white shoot past from the corner of her eyes. Jareth was searching for her as an owl. She focused all her energy on not moving a muscle. An age passed when she heard him shriek in what Sarah imagined was frustration. She released a breath and closed her eyes. She was human again. And she should have been so happy to be human. But she still wasn't home. And part of her didn't want to go home. Though she couldn't stay here naked and alone for ever. She needed a plan. She needed to find Hoggle or Sir Didymus, or even Ludo. Now she was human, she could break out of this garden somehow. Smash a window or break the lock in the door. But first she had to ensure Jareth didn't find her.

Jareth had descended through the canopy once again, the unfamiliar sensation of panic surging through his petite avian body. As he lowered he caught sight of a flicker of movement. He plummeted head first down to the ground. Hope burgeoning in his chest. He could sense a being very close. He turned back into his fae form and on soft feet he floated forward towards the Jolussim tree, which was similar in look to the bamboo of the Aboveground. It had the ability to mask magic as his bad luck would have it, so it was no wonder he couldn't reach her through his magic. He should have thought about this earlier, instead of letting his panic get to him. But he was sure he had found her now. He approached the Jolussim tree with caution so he wouldn't spook her. He moved back the branches to discover the owl.

Sarah knew Jareth was close. Her heart was thumping in her ribcage like it was trying to escape. Her green eyes were slammed shut and her hands over her nose and mouth to muffle her breathing. This was it. She was going to be discovered. She hoped the blanket covered all the essential parts as she sensed him standing outside the barrier of bamboo, she heard him slowly parting the poles, his pale visage coming in to view as she peeked through her fingers covering her face.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Sarah swallowed and opened her eyes, removing her hands fully to face the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has been brought to you by the immortal Quote from Jane Eyre:
> 
> "Jane, be still; don't struggle so, like a wild frantic bird that is rending its own plumage in its desperation."
> 
> "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you."
> 
> Does Sarah lose her feathers? Does She exert her free will and leave Jareth? New chapters coming soon ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: All credit to creators of the Labyrinth, Henson and Co. Credit for the Jane Eyre quote to Charlotte Bronte.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Sarah swallowed and opened her eyes, removing her hands to fully face the truth.

She saw Jareth peering down at her and a slight smirk on his face. Sarah tried to find the words.

"I can explain," she went to say but instead of words out came a loud shriek from her beak. Wait? Her beak? She was an owl again. Her nervous feelings had masked the feelings of transformation. So had he seen her as Sarah? She shuffled anxiously on the blanket that was no longer wrapped around her but gathered on the ground.

"Sive?" he questioned with a tilt of his head. "Why are you hiding? Are you hurt?"

Jareth held a hand out to her and Sarah found herself accepting his help in her flustered state. Her heart rate trying to return to normal, her breathing becoming less rapid, she hopped towards him. He took her in his arms, standing up straight as he lifted her to his chest. He didn't know who she was. He still called her Sive. He didn't seem angry or shocked so she was going to assume he hadn't seen her as Sarah.

"What were you doing hiding in the Jolussim tree?" He asked as she felt herself gently pressed against his sternum. He was only wearing a white linen shirt, open at the chest so she could feel the heat emanating from him even through her thick feathers. This was the closest she had ever been to him and it felt strangely comforting. The last time he held her she had been wrapped in a towel and held away from his body. She felt herself relax a lot quicker, leading to the thought that he may be calming her with magic. Yet she didn't feel any magic coursing through her body. She just felt secure and safe. Almost like she belonged. That thought startled her slightly. No of course she didn't belong. She wasn't really an owl. She needed to remember who he was. Who she really was. This was just an interlude she would soon be free from.

With so many emotions having stampeded through her human and then avian body, she found herself substantially preoccupied on her inner turmoil brewing from a mixture of relief, at not being caught, and confusion about why she was human and then owl again, that she forgot to focus on her body and its needs. Without warning she found she was relieving herself all over Jareth's stomach as he carried her through the garden. Jareth swore quietly under his breath, as Sarah struggled to break free. If she could blush she would be tomato red by now. She had just shat on the Goblin King. Any progress they had made together would instantly be destroyed by her mortifying toileting habits.

Jareth held her firmly. "You will hurt yourself, if you struggle like that," he chided gently. "Here, let me put you down safely."

Sarah wanted the earth to swallow her whole. She just shat on Jareth! She fled into the nearest Bush and then peered out to see Jareth magic away her droppings from his shirt and his (tight) black pants, before turning to find her again.

"Sive, you can come out," he laughed softly. "I'm not a stranger to owl droppings."

"But you are a stranger to human-cum-owl droppings", Sarah thought still cringing with embarrassment. If she ever became human again (permanently), how would she ever look him in the eyes again. Speaking of his eyes, she suddenly became aware of his two mismatched blue ones right in front of her heart shaped face.

"You're not embarrassed, are you little one?" he teased. "It is all cleared up. And I'm sure you didn't do it on purpose."

He shot her a knowing look, like he knew what she had been thinking when she first arrived. And yes perhaps once she would have got some enjoyment at an owl shitting all over the Goblin King. But now, when he had been so tender, she couldn't fathom any reason why she'd find it amusing. Now she was just mortified.

"Come out and let's go to dinner," he ordered. Despite her embarrassment she went willingly back into his arms with the promise to herself to employ more focus dedicated to controlling her body and less on dwelling on her feelings. Soon they were in the centre where the marble table stood. She was placed upon the table and immediately given her dinner which she settled in to swallow whole. Jareth sat at the table conjuring up his meals and his book.

"Higgle," Jareth then said, once his meal was spread before him and his book in hand. "Are you nearly finished with the weeding?"

Sarah's head shot up from her meal, spinning around nearly 180 to where she heard Hoggle answer gruffly with a "yessir, nearly yer majesty."

"Hoggle!" Sarah exclaimed loudly, but all that came out was a short two syllable screech. Hoggle eyed her warily. He hadn't changed. He was exactly the same. The same short gruff dwarf that had saved her life on her last trip. Her friend. The one she needed to help her out of this mess. He was here and he was safe, but he wouldn't recognise her as an owl. Why would he? His blue eyes showed no recognition, only distrust and uncertainty. It hurt her to see her friend's eyes look at her so. She clicked her mandibles in frustration as she looked at him.

"Hmmm," she heard Jareth mutter from behind her. Sarah's eyes widened as she came back to Earth. She all but gave the game away with her over eager response to her friend. And she also had her dinner's tail hanging out of her beak to her chagrin. She slowly turned her head back to face Jareth who looked down on her with an unreadable expression as he dabbed the sides of his mouth with a serviette.

"Familiar with Huggle, are we?" He asked, raising a brow, never taking his eyes off her.

"I knows no owl, yer Majesty," Hoggle snapped. "None but yerself."

"I wasn't talking to you, Higsbreath," Jareth pierced Sarah with his gaze. Sarah focused on swallowing the remains of her dinner and then settled on preening her wing feathers with her beak in a nonchalant manner. In her head she could justify her sudden response to just being unaware of another being's presence rather than the specific presence of Hoggle.

Surely, Jareth's first thought wasn't that she was Sarah just because she reacted to Hoggle being in the garden? She scoffed at the absurdity, directing casual glances towards Jareth as he did not waver in his stare. She didn't like that look. It was conniving, suspicious, smug and boastful all rolled into one look. The new Jareth was replaced with the old, just like she had feared. He'd hate her. Hoggle was a test and she blew it.

"Perhaps I was right to call you Sive," he inquired. "It is a Gaelic form of..."

"Yer Majesty," Hoggle cut him off. "Do yer need me ta finish the weeding or do yer want me ta go home?"

"Go home, Hopple," he waved his hands in dismissal. "You've done your duty."

Sarah watched Hoggle leave from the corner of her eyes. Help! She beseeched him in her mind. She turned to see Jareth still watching her.

"Curious," he intoned. "Birds don't really have an affinity for dwarves. The Dwarves farm the land, where birds find themselves very quickly scared off, by pitchforks, flames and rocks. They chop the trees that birds nest in. Birds in turn, eat the seeds and crops they plant. They also shit in inconvenient places dwarves have to clean." At this he threw a pointed look at the guilty owl, raising his perfect eyebrow in turn. "Birds and dwarves are natural enemies. Yet, you appeared to be almost, dare I say, friends with that imbecile of a dwarf. He didn't know you, but you seem to know him. Curiouser and Curiouser. You know, as an aside, I almost made him a prince once, but he clung to the coattails of braver and better people. Don't tell me you know this cowardly, repulsive scab of a dwarf? That would be a pity."

Sarah felt anger bubbling under her skin in defence of her friend. And his probing and almost mocking behaviour towards her right in this moment. Especially at her recent bird dropping related indiscretion. She felt a little righteous at having shat on him if this was the attitude she was to expect of him. She puffed up her feathers and clicked her jaws at him. Before turning away to complete her grooming.

"Come, come, come," he sneered. "You haven't lost your head over a dwarf, have you?"

Sarah ignored him, intent on her grooming, more and more internally agitated that he had most likely figured out who she was. Thirst was the next thing to trigger her into action. She spread her wings and after a little run up, jumped off the table and took flight towards the stream. She didn't think she would make it, but surprisingly she didn't drop off like she normally would, but instead landed quite safely upon a rock directly in front of the flowing water. With her back to Jareth she had a drink, allowing the river to cleanse her palate and refocus her mind after the whirlwind of emotions that had run through it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth had found her in the Jolussim Tree. Sheltering in her blanket, looking disheveled and alarmed. Did she drag the blanket all the way there? But he spent no more time thinking about that as his immediate concerns were whether she was injured or unwell.

She hopped into her hands as he offered them and he pulled her up to his chest. He felt an overwhelming surge of emotion having her so close. Like she belonged. He felt his hands grip her tighter to hold her closer. Her wee little owl heart slowed to match his own, both calming down after their respective frights. He hadn't gone far when he heard and felt the owl relieve herself on his shirt. That was a first. She had been so careful with her toileting, valuing her privacy for the past nearly two weeks. He swore because he had been taken out of their shared tender moment as he held her. He put her down as she struggled so he could clean himself up and she took off into hiding.

Jareth suppressed a chuckle as he magicked away the droppings, and then went to retrieve his flighty little friend. She was hesitant at first but once she was back in his arms he felt that sense of calm belonging sweep over him again. He didn't want to let her go. He knew in his heart that he was finally holding his Sarah and she was willingly there in his embrace even after her apparent mortification of shitting on him. Too soon he got back to the centre and placed her on the table.

Now was the moment of truth. His secret weapon, Hoggle, was still busy weeding around the fountain, and Sive had not seen him and was too busy gorging herself on her dinner. He watched Sive as he mentioned Hoggle's name. She spun her head around so fast it was a miracle she didn't snap her own neck. She let out a shriek which Jareth could tell was one of surprise. By the time her brain had caught up with her and she was slowly turning her head back around and cautiously glancing up at him, he knew. She was Sarah. She had to be. Her abrupt response was the sign he had been looking for.

She had passed the test. He couldn't help but goad her a little by asking if she recognised Hoggle, of course incorrectly saying his name wrong. Hoggle, the imbecile, had to talk and give Sive a moment to recollect herself, and finish her meal and then start grooming. The whole time he kept his eyes on her. Subtle shifts in her eyes and mannerisms were neon signs of her recognition of the dwarf. Feelings of elation soared through him and though he didn't mean too he started sneering arrogantly towards her, just like the villain he portrayed all those years ago.

His irritation with the dwarf still being present was filtering through to his attitude towards the owl. But his victory was the only thing he could focus on. Self reflection would come and he would rue his arrogance towards her, but right now he was just so ecstatic to be right and to have Sarah there, he didn't stop to check himself as he talked to her in a way that she would only interpret as gloating.

Even after Joggle had finally left, he couldn't stop his goading. She put up a pretty pretence of not listening and intent on grooming, but he could tell he was getting to her.

It was Sarah. It was his Sarah. He was sure of it now more than ever. He had her now. He had won her. He had a small measure of power over her as she became dependent upon him to feed her and to enable her to fly. So even as she took off to get away from him, he was still inwardly jumping for joy. She is mine, he thought as she swooped low to the ground towards the stream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So Sarah could almost fly. Low and short distances but massive improvement. She just had to extend on that now. She could do this. And soon. The need was more urgent as she was mostly sure Jareth knew it was her now. It hardly would have mattered if he had found her as a human anymore. He knew and she was stuck as an owl. She hissed in frustration. She finished her drink and pondered her next move. Should she try and fly again? Her owl senses kicked in and she knew Jareth was in his owl form, nearby. Without checking to see where exactly he was, she took off. Maybe if she was fast enough she could get to the Jolussim tree and give herself a few minutes reprieve.

She spread her wings and took flight, climbing higher and higher. But it was too much. She started wobbling. Whatever restraints were on her flying ability were kicking in now. She had to stay low so she tried orientating herself back towards the ground. But she over corrected and down she tumbled, gaining speed until she hit the ground with a burst of pain and agony. Moments passed and she knew no more.

When Jareth went to find Sarah as an owl, to try and ease her into this new stage of their relationship where she couldn't hide behind her alternative identity anymore, he was stunned to see her take off at speed and height. She was a graceful bird, a beautiful sight to see as she took to the wing. He longed for the days they could go flying together because without a doubt he'd be teaching her how to transform at will, when they were officially mated. But he barely finished that thought when she went crashing to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He raced towards her transforming in midair. He picked up her unconscious form and as he pulled her close to his body, he instantly relocated them both to his private chambers. He lay her down on his richly furnished deep green bed, and started running his hands over her body summoning any healing spells he could manage. Her fragile body was in a terrible state. Broken bones, bent wings, blood staining her soft white feathers. Her heart was but a struggling beat in her chest, weakly trying to keep going.

Jareth closed his eyes and infused more magic into her, he reached out through his magic and fused her bones together, he slowed the bleeding and healed any cuts. Internal bruising required another source of magic which he summoned from his depths, working within her slight frame with meticulous care. Hours passed. Time was inconsequential as he worked to preserve her life. Once all the physical damage was taken care of, he spirited a warm bowl of water to clean her up with, preferring to clean her the mortal way than just magic the blood away. It felt more tender, softer, more gentle. It felt more right to do it manually.

Her heart rate had strengthened and her breathing was calmer, so he started to relax his tense muscles, and resume his own breathing at a normal rate. For hours while he had worked, his insides were in utter turmoil. He couldn't have got her back just to lose her. Why had he mocked her and pushed her away from him? If he hadn't have gloated the way he did, she wouldn't have tried to fly away from him. Not used to blaming himself, it felt unusual to suddenly be doing so now.

Of course ungenerous thoughts had flown through his head about her stupidity but in his panic over her wellbeing those thoughts disappeared in a flash. Now she was stable and just needed to rest. He finished cleaning her and then patted her dry with a soft clean towel, alternatively running his ungloved fingers through her feathers to straighten them.

She was so peaceful and he allowed himself a slight smile at the fact he had Sarah in his bed. He draped a light blanket over her form, magicked the fire to burn a little stronger before he lay down, untouching, next to her. He wanted to stay close if anything changed during the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn approached and warm light filtered onto Sarah's face. She hadn't felt so comfortable in her entire life. She was warm and snug. She savoured this feeling as she rose to consciousness. She slowly became aware of the feeling of being wrapped in sheets. Sheets on a soft surface. She wasn't snuggled upright in a blanket in a cave. She was lying down in what felt like a bed. A proper bed and she could feel silky sheets against her nude skin. Skin? Not feathers? Sarah's eyes shot open. She was in a richly furnished room and she was definitely in a bed. She brought her hands in front of her face and yes they were her hands not wings.

Where was she and what was she doing here? What was her last memory? She was an owl. That much she remembered, otherwise it wouldn't have been a surprise to find herself naked in a bed. How had she transformed? Slowly realisation came back to her. She had tried to fly away from Jareth but fell and then she remembered pain. Acute pain. Then nothing. So what was she doing here?

She was human. In a bed. In an unfamiliar bed. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and cautiously sat up to take in her surroundings a bit better. Her body ached, like she had spent all day at the gym for the first time in 3 years. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool and a dull ache resided firmly behind her eyes. Once she got her equilibrium, she gazed around. It was as she thought, a richly decorated bedroom in dark colours and ornate furniture and dramatic tapestries. She glanced to her side and out of the corner of her eyes she spotted life.

Jareth.

In bed.

In the bed she had been lying in and was currently sitting on. Naked. But a fitful glance told her he was fully clothed thankfully. He looked peaceful in his sleep but she didn't give herself time to study him. She yanked the sheet around her naked form and slipped from the bed. She was human. She was also out of the conservatory garden. Now was her chance to get help and get out of here. It was more urgent than the questions she had tumbling through her head.

She eased her sore but whole body, towards the door she guessed was an exit. Stealth was never a strength of hers but she conjured up as much as she could to creep towards the door on light feet and silent breath. Sarah reached the door and allowed herself one small peek at Jareth's sleeping form. He still appeared in a restful slumber. So with all the care in the world, she gripped the door handle and went to open the door into a corridor and hopefully not a bathroom or a closet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth woke and instinctively went to check on the owl next to him, only to discover the bed was empty. He sat up immediately and searched around the room. He reached out with his magic. She wasn't here.

Why did he keep losing her? It wasn't fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title from this story comes from a Savage Garden Song called Gunning Down Romance. The lyrics in the Mr. Mister song are slightly different (again instead of away). 
> 
> I just had to make Sarah shit on Jareth. Golden opportunity during a tender moment. Mwahahahaha.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sarah had made it out of the room. Now she stood naked but for a sheet wrapped around her slight frame, in the cold stone corridor with no idea which way to go. No time to consider a plan of action. Jareth could wake at any time. So she headed left and sprinted down the hallway as fast and as quietly as she could.

It didn't take long for Sarah to become disoriented and she couldn't find her way back to Jareth even if she wanted to. The passages were empty and devoid of any sign of life. The doors were all shut and gave no clue as to what was behind them, so she just kept following the stone laden flooring at her feet. Everything was nondescript. Nothing to tell her where to go or where she had been. She once came upon a window and she allowed herself a quick glance out to see the Goblin City sprawled out below her. She could make out the goblins making their way through the dusty roads for whatever business goblins did in the early morning. But like time that kept marching on, so did she, through the never ending maze that was the castle hallways.

Sarah had to get out of the castle and find Hoggle while she was still human. If she turned into an owl again at least he'd know it was her. She was fighting against the unknown amount of time she had left before she found herself in her owl body again but also Jareth's discovery of her. She was also in pain. She surmised it must have been from her fall, how she wasn't completely broken, she didn't know. She guessed Jareth must have healed her and the pain was the residue left from her surrender to gravity. She turned a corner and like a bullet hitting lead, she came to a complete stop.

Jareth was speeding down the corridor towards her looking like a freight train about to derail from the tracks. He was tossing a crystal from hand to hand in great agitation. His hair was all mussed up, like he had been pulling his hair out in frustration. He was still in his black pants and white top, but they were rumpled and the shirt had come untucked. But his eyes were on the ground and so he hadn't seen her yet. Sarah wanted to flee but couldn't move. In the time it took her to gather her senses, he had looked up from his feet and saw her standing stock still, grasping the sheet around her naked body.

"Sarah!" Jareth exclaimed coming to a stop. A look that could have passed as relief flooded his face before being replaced with indifference. Sarah felt herself backing up slowly, hoping that she would turn back into an owl so she could fly away. Or at least avoid him seeing her wrapped in a sheet. The thought of her having shat on him crept in as she edged backwards. Her face that had paled at first seeing him, now flushed crimson with shame.

"Er," was all Sarah managed to get out as she felt her back hit the wall. A wall that she was sure wasn't there moments before.

"So you're no longer a barn owl," he observed. "Yes I discovered it was you, Sive."

His last statement was directed at her as she widened her eyes in surprise. But it wasn't for his realisation, as she had already figured out that he knew it was her, but more his lack of anger or sense of vengeance that she had been expecting. Instead he appeared calm and collected, not rushing her straight into the Bog or an oubliette. At least not yet.

"And where do you think you are going?" he asked with a mischievous inclination of his head, as Sarah started inching along the wall. She clutched the sheet tighter to her body, hoping that the elegant green sheet wasn't in any way see through and was hiding everything it was meant to be hiding. She glanced at his eyes, but turned quickly away, as she pondered how to answer him. His eyes had at least been on her face and not roaming her barely covered body.

"I was.." suddenly she started coughing, her voice unused to being used. Jareth raised both brows as she let go of her sheet with one hand to cover the mouth as she spluttered on her own words.

"Lost for words are we?" Jareth mocked. Sarah gave him a dark look when she recovered herself. "I would have thought you would be itching to have your say."

"Well excuse me," Sarah managed, her voice hoarse and croaky from lack of use. "I have been a little unused to having my say in any way, shape or form."

"Well now you can," he gestured with his arms to indicate her freedom to speak.

"How long do I have before you turn me back into an owl?" Sarah scowled even though she was aware he didn't have that power over her, she couldn't help but have a dig regardless.

"Turn you back...?" Jareth shook his head. "Are you labouring under the illusion that I did this to you?"

Sarah just stared at him. She felt at a huge disadvantage standing there debating with him with no clothes on and her chance at escape being hampered by the Goblin King himself.

"I did not do this," he growled. "And if I did what makes you think I would turn you back into an owl once I have finally seen you in your, I must say, delightful human form?"

"Because, you lecherous old man," Sarah sighed impatiently. "This isn't exactly the first time I have found myself human before conveniently turned owl again."

That gave Jareth room to pause. He stood silently and unmoving.

"Interesting," he finally uttered. "Was this when I found you hiding in the Jossulim Tree?"

'If that is the bamboo with the pink flowers, then yes," Sarah answered, pushing stray strands of dark hair out of her face, still avoiding eye contact with the fae man in front of her. She wondered what he was going to do with her now. Throw her into an oubliette? Or the Bog? With no clothes on. She hoped he would at least offer some dignity before sending her to her doom.

"Rest assured," he replied, moving his body so he was now casually leaning against the wall. "I did not do this to you. I know exactly who did, but I don't really know why."

"Well, can you undo it and send me home please?" Sarah snapped. "Preferably with some clothes on."

Jareth's eyes scanned down her body before flicking back up. "If what you say is correct about turning back into an owl then, we may not have much time before you are inhuman again. Let us find you something decent to wear and reconvene over breakfast to... talk."

Sarah nodded silently, as he gestured with his hand to take the lead. He followed behind her, occasionally letting her know a direction to travel in.

"Tell me Sarah," Jareth said softly as they came to a stop. "Are you in any pain?"

"I am sore and tender but nothing significant," Sarah replied almost shyly, remembering her tumble from the skies. "Did you heal me?"

"Yes, I had to," he replied with a feigned air of nonchalance. "You would have died without my aid."

Sarah balked at the thought of dying and then grimaced at the thought that she now owed the Goblin King for her life. Stupid Sarah, she thought, trying to fly before you're ready.

"Thank you for saving me," Sarah said barely above a whisper. Jareth was opening the door, but turned around to look at her.

"Of course," was all he said as he gracefully ushered her into a room. It was similar to the bedroom she had awoken in but instead of green, it was a light blue theme for the soft furnishings. 'You will find some clothes in the wardrobe there. You will find me out here when you're ready. Remember you may be pressed for time, so don't dally."

Sarah shut the door and rushed to the wardrobe. She grabbed a sky blue dress and threw it on. It was a basic day dress so no frills and no annoying fasteners. Just on over her head and done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While she was dressing, Jareth paced up and down the corridor outside the door. He had spent ages looking for her and in his agitation he had almost walked straight into her. Oh the relief to have found her. Almost instantly he turned to goading her and she turned instantly to giving as good as she got. He wondered briefly at her attempt to escape in just a sheet. He'd had hoped she would have woken him and they could have talked. Though the surprise of finding her human was taking a while to get used to.

She had aged so well. She now had sharp, defined features and eyes like emerald green pools that he could spend a whole lifetime swimming in. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld. And he wanted to hold her. But her uncertainty and discomfort had affronted him when he stumbled upon her. He gritted his teeth as he thought on her accusations that he had brought her here and turned her into an owl. As if he had that power when the wish had been usurped by Enavilia. Would she ever see him as anything but the villain of her childhood?

Speaking of Enavilia, he would have to find them and ask why she kept flicking between owl and human. Jareth suspected that Sarah was gaining power over the wish. He hoped this would be her permanent form but if she was to return to being an owl they'd need a chance to work on some communication cues to get her flying sooner. A rush of excitement flooded his system at the thought of keeping her. It was hard enough seeing her as a human, and then parting for mere minutes while she dressed. He needed more of her, to drink her in and to get his fill, especially if time was short. He rode the waves of his exhilaration until he recalled her words asking him to send her home.

His excitement was doused swiftly. It would make it easier if she wanted to stay. Ideally he didn't want to force her to stay but it was clear she wanted to go home. He was just dwelling on the way she had thanked him for saving her life when she entered the corridor wearing a blue dress and matching slippers.

"We may be short on time," Jareth said in clipped tones. "May I take the liberty of transporting you straight to the dining hall for breakfast?"

Sarah just shrugged and he took her arm in his, revelling in the brief yet polite contact. The next moment they were standing together by the dining table heavy under the weight of all the breakfast food he had summoned.

"Let's eat," he guided her to her seat. "We have much to discuss."

Once seated, Sarah began helping herself to food after his encouragement. He could tell she wasn't comfortable but certainly less tense than when she was clothed in naught but a sheet.

"All I want to know is how to stay human so I can go home," Sarah jutted her chin out in defiance of possibly being challenged.

"You have to learn to fly," Jareth said simply. "I don't think yesterday's little exhibition is enough to qualify. Though I do suspect you are gradually weakening the Labyrinth's hold over you."

"The labyrinth did this to me?" Sarah said more to her plate, than to Jareth.

"Yes," he said sharply. "And we can discuss the why's and how's in depth for the rest of eternity but right now we need to work on a form of communication when you're an owl again."

"You do want to be human again don't you?" Jareth asked when Sarah remained tight-lipped.

"Of course," she snapped, narrowing her dangerous green eyes at him. Oh how he relished their cruelty aimed at him, but he longed for tenderness in their depths even more. He hoped he would see more positive feelings reflected back at him in due course.

"When you are again an owl," Jareth started formulating a plot. "Perhaps you could blink once for yes and twice for no?"

"That could work," Sarah admitted, pushing her pancakes around her plate.

"We will spend every free moment teaching you to fly," he continued. "Until you are exhausted. In the meantime I will talk to Enavilia and get a gauge on the situation. They are not very forthcoming with critical information."

Sarah asked who Enavilia was and he briefly explained that Enavilia was the spirit of the Labyrinth who intercepted her wish because of Sarah's decree that he had no power over her. "I could not act on the wish, even if I wanted to. It is my understanding that the Labyrinth could have chosen to ignore it, but they did not. I do not understand why they chose to act on such an...insubstantial wish, but it's done now and for some reason we have to work together to undo it."

Jareth watched her face as he mentioned her power over him, and while her eyes widened before lowering back to her plate, she made no other response. He sensed her mood was hitting a low and he felt an urge to make everything satisfactory for her.

"Sarah, are you feeling adequate?"

"Will flying really turn me back into a human?" she asked meekly.

"It is my understanding but I can not confirm," Jareth twirled a crystal in his palm as he watched her slump her shoulders and deepen her frown. "Like I said, Enavilia is all but a riddle and we are not currently on friendly terms. I do not know what their end goal is, but let us just focus on teaching you to fly and figure out everything else later."

"It was a stupid wish," Sarah muttered. "I should have known better than to make any wish."

"Being an owl is not that bad," Jareth consoled. "I certainly love flying and I think you would enjoy it too when you're proficient."

"Yes but you can control your owl morphing ability," Sarah snapped, her green eyes shining slightly with unshed tears. Jareth wanted to tell her right then and there that he could teach her to transform at will when they were married. "I don't want to be trapped as an owl here where I don't belong."

"Where do you belong then?" Jareth asked quietly. While she had claimed she wanted to go home, he was aware of her passion and strength when she wanted what she wanted. He had seen her determination as she had run through his Labyrinth. She stopped at nothing to get back her brother. He had seen the strength of her love for wee Toby. A love that he was envious of. No-one had shown half as much loyalty and love for him in his very long lifetime, as she had shown for her brother. She held so much regard for a tiny little scrap of life, that she put her own on the line to save it. She never wavered as he offered her the universe in their final confrontation. She was steadfast to the end. Yet now all he could sense was despair, loneliness and uncertainty. He recognised the feelings strongly as if they were his own. He knew they were his own.

When she didn't say anything he continued. "Some say that belonging is not a place, but a person."

Sarah nearly dropped her fork as she stared at him with incredulity. "I belong to no-one."

"Neither do I," Jareth admitted softly. "But I would so much like to one day belong to someone. Wouldn't you?"

"No," Sarah shook her dark tresses away from her face. "Romance never did a thing for me, nothing but misery and heartache."

"Thank you for speaking so candidly with me Sarah," he smiled a soft but genuine smile. She was sad, but he wanted to be the one that changed that. "Perhaps you will change your mind one day."

She just scoffed. "Maybe, but not if I get stuck as an owl and not if I get stuck here."

Jareth felt torn. He wanted to keep her but seeing her so dejected at the thought of being stuck here, he wanted nothing more than to give her everything she asked for. He considered a different line of inquiry to help them learn more about each other.

"Sarah what was the wording of your wish and why did you make it?" he asked, glancing at the clock. He wished he knew how much time they had together. He had so many things he would have liked to show her. So many things he wished to discuss with her. "It may help us break the wish if I knew the motivation."

"I wished to fly like the owl in my painting," Sarah explained. "I have a painting of a Ruru on my wall. A Ruru is a New Zealand owl. Also known as a morepork. A friend painted it. I made the wish because I felt..."

Jareth leaned in eager to hear her answer but noticed that she had clamped her mouth shut. She gripped her arms with her hands and dug her nails into her skin. He noticed that she had started shivering and looking down into her lap again.

"I will not use this information against you, Sarah, if that is what you're worried about."

"Why do you want to help me?" she asked in a small voice. "I don't understand."

"You are the Champion of my Labyrinth," he explained. "No one has ever beaten the Labyrinth before. And with that title comes special privileges. And one such privilege is you are protected by the Monarchy of the Labyrinth, which in this case, is me. Before I knew who you were, I had an affinity for owls but they only lived Aboveground so I knew I had to take care of you, especially when I realised you couldn't fly. As for more personal reasons, Sarah, I took Toby as it is part of my job, not a part I enjoy. But I am not the villain you want me to be. And even if I was, I can not hurt you, because if you remember, I have no power over you."

"I thought at the very least you would Bog me or send me to an Oubliette to live the rest of my days," Sarah admitted. "You seemed very keen to do that on my first visit here."

"There is still plenty of time for that," Jareth grinned as he watched different emotions filter across Sarah's beautiful, if not grim face. "Now tell me, why did you wish to fly like an owl?"

"Many reasons," Sarah shrugged. "I wanted freedom."

The word freedom froze Jareth's heart in its tracks. She can not wish for freedom from him as well? He knew Enavilia had asked him if he would let her go and he had said he'd set the owl free, but internally had sworn never to let Sarah free. But it is what she wanted. He couldn't deny her, could he?

"Freedom from what?" He asked, making the crystal he had been playing with disappear into the ether.

"My life," Sarah shrugged. "It had become a perfect misery. Do you want to hear all the depressing details? Would that make you happy?"

"Sarah, what would make me happy was if you were happy," he said shortly, more than a little miffed that she thought he'd enjoy her pain. "After all it is my duty of care and I do not wish you harm."

"Well, I had a soul sucking job, I had lost touch with any friends I had, my family were distant and disconnected from me," Sarah huffed, folding her arms over her chest in a protective manner. "I had no joy in my life. Nothing to look forward to. It was mundane and frankly, not the life I had planned. And forgive me for this turn of phrase, but my life had lost any magic that had made it worthwhile. So after a really bad day, I just wanted to escape. I saw the picture on the wall, and like the spoilt child I am, I wished I could escape my responsibilities so I made the wish."

Jareth stayed quiet just watching her as she fought back tears. People sometimes wished to escape from their lives for many reasons, some were poverty and hardship, maybe illness, or grief, or mental health or perhaps a scandal they got embroiled in. There were many facets to the human condition that had people wishing for an escape. But Sarah's was pure loneliness and isolation. For someone so bright and vivacious as Sarah, who had made friends in his Labyrinth as easy as scratching one's nose, he found it hard to understand why humans didn't treat her like the precious jewel she was.

She had beguiled him with ease and yet she struggled to make connections in her own world, leading her to make a Wish with a capital W, not once, but twice in her short life. He briefly felt resentment to the people in her life that had taken her for granted. She gave herself willingly to them, only to face rejection, when he sorely wanted her company and had to fight for it. Sarah was right, it was not fair. But he was a warrior. He would fight for her until his dying breath.

"Precious, if you ever needed anything, all you ever had to do was ask for me," Jareth finally told her. "No need for wishes. I couldn't come to you first because I had no power to do so. But you could have asked and I would have come. You have always had that power."

"And you could have magicked me up some friends?" Sarah laughed without mirth.

"I could have been your friend," Jareth stated. "And one with the benefit of magic."

"I could never have called on you," Sarah shrugged, relaxing her arms and resting her hands in her lap. "Pride refused to let me see any thing of my life as being less than perfect."

"I know that feeling too well Precious," Jareth noticed the way her nose wrinkled slightly every time he called her Precious. "Pride is a dangerous game to play. It leads to many a downfall, and sometimes to destroyed Goblin Cities and Escher Rooms."

"I would apologise for that if I could," Sarah bit her lip. "But Your Majesty, I had to get my brother back."

"I know, Precious," he watched the cute way her nose wrinkled again. He was enjoying this. "But please, you've earned the right to call me Jareth."

"By destroying Goblin Cities and Escher Rooms?" Sarah giggled, though she still looked like she was fighting herself on the issue of her pride. It was a sweet rapture to see her smile, even at his expense.

"No, by conquering the Labyrinth and by conquering the Goblin King and his heart," Jareth leaned over and placed his gloved hands over one of Sarah's. This was going so well. She seemed to be opening up to him and he had never felt more connected to someone in his life. She had to want to stay when all is said and done. "Well, what little of his heart that isn't frozen over or turned to stone, anyway."

"Jareth..." she started to say. His heart soaring like the owl of her dreams at the mere utterance of his name. How sweet it sounded from her mouth. His burgeoning smile started to fade as he realised something was wrong. "It is time."

And before his eyes she was a Barn owl again, sitting amongst the sheathes of fabric that had been her dress moments before. She tilted her wee owl head to look at him and he stood up and walked to her. He crouched down in front of her chair so he was more at her level.

"Let us go and learn to fly then," he said to her, holding out his arm for her to perch on which to his pleasure, she did willingly. "Let us beat Enavilia at their own game. Together."


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

They were outside. In the actual outside. Not the artificial outside she had been cooped up in for her entire time here. She felt the sun on her feathery face and the wind ruffling through her plumage. And she was on the arm of the fae that had saved her life. Her feelings a jumbled tangle regarding said fae.

He had talked to her so openly she almost found herself trusting him, though part of her was still skeptical. Despite her misgivings she had opened up to him more than she intended to. But found that she got the sense he understood her. And when he called her precious, it did something funny to her insides. She never believed in love at first sight or soul mates, but there was something powerful and compelling about her interactions with Jareth that she could not explain or justify after such a short acquaintance. She had to wonder what he truly felt about her.

He now held her on his arm, and she was trying very hard not to dig into his flesh with her claws. Or to unintentionally shit all over him again. She cringed internally. The shame hadn't diminished, even since they'd come to some sort of mutual understanding when she was human again.

"Are you ready to take off?" He asked. She blinked once for yes. "Ok our first goal is to fly low towards that bench there."

Sarah pushed off from his arm and glided towards the bench that was only a few feet away. She turned around to look at Jareth who smiled approvingly. Without waiting for him to come to her she glided back to him, landing on his proffered arm.

He ran one long gloved finger down her back as she settled on his forearm. She glanced up at his face and his features were warm and soft, lit by an affable smile, his eyes shining with kindness. It was easy to get blown over by one look. Sarah couldn't resist nudging her head into his shoulder, in an almost affectionate manner. It was easier to be thus with Jareth than when she was human. When she was human, it felt like their history got in the way, but as an owl, things felt simpler, and she could enjoy their time together unburdened by guilt or resentment. She wasn't sure she would feel so comfortable with him touching her like he was when she was no longer an owl.

Jareth inhaled deeply in a contented way, before asking her to fly to a further away goal. Their day progressed this way, interrupted by lunch, until the sun started setting. Sarah ached from fluffy head to sharp talon. But it was a good ache. It was difficult being awake again during the day, but she reasoned it wouldn't be much longer until she was human again.

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Days. Days passed and while Sarah made significant improvements she hadn't turned back into her human self. Jareth was getting quite despondent. He had tried approaching Enavilia again and got the same dribble about time giving him the answers he needed. Except time was wearing on and she was still an owl.

However he had provided her with space inside his chambers each night. He magicked up a small inside garden for her to sleep in and he used his magic to clean up after her each morning. He liked having her close, but still respecting each other's privacy.

She had switched to being awake in the day again since her injurious flight and every moment he wasn't tied up with running the kingdom, he taught her to fly. She had mastered taking off and landing. Her distance had improved and she could glide for longer and longer each day. But she was still tethered. Still held back from reaching her full potential.

Today he planned on trying to fly with her in his owl form. He was lying in his bed as he had just woken up after being up most of the night catching up on paperwork. He heard Sarah stirring in the bush, and it wasn't long before she came out of hiding. Usually he was up and about before she woke. It was the first time she had caught him still lying prone.

Sitting up to look down at her, he observed her discern him and her eyes widened at the unexpectedness of finding him abed.

"Good morrow, Sarah," he stretched and grinned at her. "You've been keeping me so busy I had a bit of a late night last night."

He summoned a crystal and with a twirl he had her reptilian breakfast hanging from his hand.

"Breakfast in bed?" he joked, but to his surprise she flew up onto the covers of his bed to rip the animal into chunks before consuming it. "I thought we could go flying together today. Is that acceptable to you?"

Sarah blinked once and when she didn't blink a second time, he knew it was an affirmative answer.

"You have all the skills now," he continued abhorring the one sided conversation he had to have now, when he had tasted the delights of mutual dialogue with her. But at least she was warmer towards him than she had been. When he touched her she reciprocated and she didn't shriek or hiss or snap her beak at him. She had given him a slice of hope. And he seized it with all his might. "You just need to put all those skills all together."

She blinked once and bobbed her head at him. As she finished her meal and started grooming he slid his feet out from under his blanket and pulled one knee up to rest his elbow on as he watched her.

"Let me help with that," he whispered, using his free hand he started stroking her feathers down her head and back, smoothing them all into place. "Is this acceptable to you?"

One blink.

Sarah lazily closed her eyes, enjoying his ministrations.

"One day we will be able to enjoy each other properly," he continued in hushed tones. She snapped her eyes to look at him. "Would you like that, precious?"

She didn't respond, just continued to stare at him as he ran his fingers down her wings.

"One blink for yes, two for no, precious," he grinned, running his tongue over his sharp teeth, playfully, while she still stared daggers at him. She turned away so she didn't have to answer. He just laughed deeply at her response. "We should get up and start flying."

He moved to the balcony and gestured to Sarah that she should do the same. Sarah stretched her wings and took off through the door to sit next to him on the banister of the balcony. He took one last moment to run his hand over her body, bringing his hand under her owl chin and smiling down at her, before converting into a raptor.

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They stood side by side overlooking the labyrinth. Sarah cautiously looked down. They were very high up. She was suddenly overcome with vertigo and the feelings of Deja vu, but she wasn't sure she could survive if she fell again this time. Nothing Jareth could do would save her after such a fall. His touch had bolstered her confidence this morning but now she felt small and powerless against gravity.

She turned to look at the male counterpart next to her. He moved closer and nudged her gently with his head, then tapped her beak ever so softly with his own. Sarah shuffled slightly away. Did he just kiss her? In owl body language? She didn't utter any hisses or clicks to communicate her annoyance but just stared at him. He stared back at her, offering a low shriek and a few bobs of his head. Having not seen her reflection, she wasn't aware how beautiful barn owls really were. Even as an owl, Jareth was still majestic looking. He was paler than her and slightly smaller in build, with fewer spots, but still a creature to contend with. She understood why they were considered intelligent animals, by the grace he showed and the twinkle in his large oblique black eyes.

However, she could almost sense his smug grin hidden behind the owl facade, before he spread his wings to signal his readiness. Sarah braced herself, lifted her wings and followed suit. They both took off from the balcony together. Her heart in her throat as she took that first step into the void. But with wings spread, legs tucked in, and wind beneath their wings, Sarah was doing it. She was flying. Her heart soared and her mind spun with the sensation. It was exhilarating. She wasn't plummeting to her death or losing balance. She was confident and able.

Jareth kept looking back at her to make sure she was keeping up. And she was. She didn't feel any of the restraints on her as she had done previously. She felt truly free. Sarah watched Jareth and his wing movements, so she could judge if she needed to change her movements, but it was all coming to her quite naturally. She let out a joyous shriek as they winged their way over the Labyrinth.

Sarah started taking in more of her surroundings. Below her she could see the edge of the Goblin city and the start of the walls surrounding it's outer limits. They cruised over the rubbish dump that Sarah had met the junk lady in on her first trip. And soon they were over the forest. Jareth guided her to safely perch in a tree.

He turned to her and nudged her gently with his head, before he dived to the ground. He transformed into his fae form, his wild blonde hair moving in the breeze, his mismatched eyes seeing nothing but her.

"I think you have earned a wee break," he smiled up at her. "You did very well."

She watched him as he crouched down at the base of the tree. He magicked up a crystal and with a twist of his wrist he turned it into an apple.

"Join me," he ordered. She flew down and landed at his feet. He cut a slice of the apple and offered it to her. She nibbled it out of his hand, while he ate the rest.

"We shall fly back soon," he said to her as he tossed the apple core into the shrubbery. They sat quietly for a few moments and in this time Sarah noticed a rock formation ahead of them. She tilted her head to the side to get a better angle on what she was seeing.

It was a rock formation in the shape of Jareth's face. How conceited, Sarah thought, as she stared at it. Jareth caught her staring at it, and chuckled.

"A reminder to my subjects and runners that I am everywhere and see everything," he informed her. "I am surprised you didn't see it on your first trip here."

Sarah just clicked her mandibles and blinked twice for no. She hadn't noticed any Jareth rocks. But she had been too focused on getting her brother back. It seemed like an age ago.

"Actually, I brought you here because I wanted to apologise for my treatment of you in your run," he said almost quietly. "I have many regrets when it comes to you, but perhaps the thing that was most below me was giving you that peach."

Sarah craved her human form to be able to communicate, but was forced to listen to this declaration in silence with no chance for rebuttal. She never dreamt of getting a genuine apology from him like this. He had acknowledged that his behaviour as a villain had been a role he had played, but this was unprecedented.

"Fae are known for being tricky and perhaps morally ambiguous," he continued. "It is no excuse, Sarah. You were a force to be reckoned with, and I admit I lost my head. I gave Hoggle the peach in this very grove. I wanted you to forget your goal. I wanted the love you had for Toby all to myself. It was selfish of me, but even then you proved I had no power over you. You broke that enchantment like it was nothing. It was very strong magic, laced with a friend's betrayal to make it even stronger. Your love and friendship for Hoggle made that magic null and void. You forgave him. How I wish you would forgive me too, Sarah."

Even if Sarah could talk, she would have been speechless. She felt the urge to forgive him. Maybe he would ask her if she forgave him and she could blink once for yes, but he just sighed and looked away. They sat in silence for a little while longer, listening to the wind in the trees and the birds in the skies. She wondered if they were near where she had met Ludo or the fire gang. She nervously looked around as if expecting them to pop up just because she was thinking about them.

"Are you alright, precious?" Jareth asked, watching her looking around. Sarah spun her head around several times super fast to indicate her worry about the fireys.

"Whatever your concern is, you're always safe with me," Jareth stroked the wing closest to him. "Nothing in my land will harm a feather on your head."

'What about you?' She wanted to ask. The labyrinth had actively tried to place her in harm's way, the fall she had had still fresh in her mind. Somehow she felt safe with him. Those confusing feelings of hers complicated everything.

Her mind took to the skies, after a few more moments of silence. She had flown. She had actually flown! And flown free but yet she was still an owl. She wondered if having a sleep would ensure she woke up human. It seemed to be the case the past two times she had found herself human. This time had been different. She had flown so free. And untethered and it had been glorious.

"Sarah," Jareth started standing up. "Shall we head back to the castle?"

She was ready to go back. For some reason she was dying to turn back into human but not for the reasons of escaping but so she could converse with Jareth as equals. Part of her had enjoyed their short time together and now she craved a better acquaintance. And she couldn't forget that urge to forgive him for the peach. To be honest, she had often daydreamed about their dance in that peach dream. She longed to ask if it was real.

So off they flew back to the castle at the centre of the Labyrinth. Sarah flying high, with Jareth below her, keeping her steady and in place, lest she should fall.

They made it back to the castle and Sarah joined Jareth back on the balcony. He quickly transformed back into his fae form. Sarah assumed that his magic allowed him to be fully clothed upon return, unlike when it happened to her. Either that or magic was just a chauvinistic entity. He was wearing black tights, with a blood red jacket over a midnight black ruffled shirt. Sarah caught his amulet between the folds of cloth on his chest. She hadn't taken much notice of what he wore but right in that moment he cut a dashing, if not terrifying figure. He wore a dark look that she hadn't seen since her run. He looked serious and angry. Was he upset that she couldn't forgive him?

"I have business to attend to," he frowned grimly. "I had hoped our flight together would have broken the spell, but it seems it still isn't enough. I will be back later and we can take another flight."

With that he sailed out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

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Jareth was getting very frustrated. Despite their best efforts, Sarah was still an owl. He had opened his heart to her in a moment of weakness and could not get any response from her. He would have been equally happy to hear her rage at him, as he would if she did forgive him. He longed for her to be herself more than ever. But now he had family just arriving unexpectedly, who he could neither turn away or ignore. He'd have to put them up and they'd be there for a few days. As soon as he had arrived back at the castle, he sensed their arrival. It had darkened his mood quicker than lightning hitting a metal pole.

He wanted to stay with Sarah because even though she was an owl, he longed to be in her company. Now he was being dragged away from her by familial duty. They never visited and yet here they were.

"Jareth, my boy," boomed the voice of his uncle Gerav, a tall blonde fae who was Jareth's father's brother. He was joined by his aunt Fliion, a red haired, diminutive fae, cousin Admi and cousin Ghi, who were both still children. "You weren't expecting us."

"No I was not," Jareth greeted his family with cold civility. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Aunt Fliion, wished to visit the DiyaMonde Forest and we thought we would thrust ourselves upon you on our return journey."

"Ah yes, the DiyaMonde Forest is so beautiful this time of year," Jareth mused with a bored voice. He wanted to get back to Sarah. He didn't want this unruly group interrupting his time with her. Sarah wouldn't want to stay with him, if she knew this was the type of people he was related to.

While Jareth may portray the villain, his family members were the villains. He had distanced himself from them and their despicable behaviours. If they found Sarah as an owl, they would probably use her to torture their hounds. If they found her as a human they would probably use her as a slave. And slaves were not treated well. They ended up dead more often than not. Especially in his Uncle's Kingdom.

Bile rose in his throat. He hated his family but being royal meant he couldn't just throw them out as he so desired. Even though it was incredibly lonely, there was a very strong reason he isolated himself from the rest of the fae. Especially his relatives. They could never find out what Sarah meant to him. Not until she was secure as his wife, but even then she would always be at risk.

The thought crossed his mind that Sarah would be safer in her own world. He could survive the heartbreak of losing her to life but not to death. Did this mean he could actually let her go free? Did he actually have it in him to forgo having her in his life? Yes, if it kept her alive. He barely thought about his family. He hadn't seen any of them for a few centuries. Why did they choose now to appear in his life?

"Still living alone in this dump?" His uncle asked with a loud obnoxious laugh. "Not found any pathetic mortal to take to your bed?"

Jareth gritted his teeth. But said nothing.

"It is such a pity that you have all this access to mortals and you don't use it, Jareth," his aunt simpered. "Instead you let your castle be overrun by those horrid, dirty goblins."

"It is their Kingdom, aunt," Jareth bit angrily. "I am merely the caretaker."

"You are the sovereign," she snapped back. "It is no wonder no decent fae woman wants you."

He didn't want any fae women either, decent or otherwise. They were all the same. Jareth thought of his kind, gentle, sweet, Sarah. He didn't want her tainted by this world. She was strong and determined, but she deserved better. Much better. Better than he could offer. He breathed through the pain of his realisation.

All the love he had seen her have for Toby, was something no fae could comprehend. He had wanted it so badly. It had become an obsession. Now he was reminded of the world in which he had secluded himself from. The immoral world of the fae, cold, distant and unloving. He had to set her free. He couldn't keep her trapped here like he was.

"I will ask the Goblins to show you to your quarters, ma'am,"Jareth replied snippily. "If that does not suit, feel free to abscond yourself from the GOBLIN Kingdom."

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A few hours after their arrival, Jareth managed to go and see Enavilia.

"She can be free," he told the spirit. "Once she is human, I will set her free. For me it will be a wound unhealing, but she will be safe. I need her to be safe. I will take my pain for all eternity but let her see the light."

"She will be free," Enavilia smiled. "Magic loves the free spirit, Goblin King."

"She has flown, Enavilia," Jareth furrowed his brow. "Why is she still an owl yet?"

"I have been ungenerous with information," Enavilia clasped their hands together. "I can tell you that one more flight should do the trick. You had to set her free in more ways than one. Apologising to her was a very strong method of freeing her, for starters. You should be proud."

"And then I lose her," Jareth sighed with all the sadness of his heart.

"Then magic gains her," the spirit responded. "Let your last flight be when your family has departed."

"They're no family of mine," Jareth said with bitterness.

~~~~~~~~~^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^~~~~

Enavilia cackled with glee. Their plan was working faster than they had anticipated. And Jareth was wanting to set her free. This was the best bit. The spell would be broken, the magic released and Enavilia would have more power than ever before. Power that wouldn't be taken for granted.

The mortal girl would come back. She'd have to. Jareth may despair but Enavilia knew the girl's heart. They were entwined after all. When the three of them combined the more powerful they would all be. The Labyrinth would then get the triad of guardians it deserved, and forever be safe from those other plotting, power hungry, undeserving fae. Jareth was the only one capable of winning the hold over the Labyrinth. The only one worthy enough. That's why Enavillia had chosen him. And subsequently, why they had chosen his mate too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Jareth went to find Sarah she was actually nestled on his bed grooming her plumage. The sight of her tore his heart to shreds. He had come so close to winning her, but he had to do what was right. Rare for his kind, to put others first.

"Sarah," he sat next to her. "I must apologise. Something had come up and we won't be able to fly for a few days. In fact you will have to stay in here until then. Feel free to practice flying in here though. But it is for your safety that I ask this of you."

Sarah tilted her head. He sensed confusion and possibly anger from her.

"I promise I am not trying to prolong your entrapment. You can still be free."

Jareth was overcome with his own grief. Two or three more days and she'd be gone from his life. "You can be free."

She blinked her eyes once. Yes. Yes she was affirming that she would be free. She was probably longing for her freedom, excited to get away from him. He couldn't blame her. She was innocent and pure, whilst he was damaged goods. All the magic in the world, couldn't offer what he felt she deserved out of this life. His whole life he wondered what it would feel like to love someone above himself. Now he was getting a taste and it was exquisitely painful.

"Sarah, my precious," Jareth stood to leave. "I never knew how high I could fly with you right above me."

He left the owl sitting upon his bed before his heart broke completely in front of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah had no idea what was going on. Just when she decided she wanted to hurry and be human again to get to know him better, Jareth decided to slow their progress down and then declare she would be free. He seemed very downcast and sorrowful to her when he came in. Like he was barely keeping his emotions in check. But hearing the last thing he said before he left made her heart clench.

And she wasn't sure if it was in a bad way or a good way. What she did know was that, for the first time since she bested the Labyrinth, she almost considered that his declaration at their last confrontation to have been more than a ruse to stop her from winning. More than a distraction. And then his heartfelt apology in the glen with the Jareth rock faces! Did Jareth still have strong feelings for her?

She wasn't sure but hearing the sincerity of his words as he swept from his room, gave her lots to ponder, alongside his apology. How did she feel? She knew that she was keen to get to know him better. She'd seen another side of him that was almost compelling. Jareth was lonely and truth be told so was she.

Could she find a friend in him? She had enjoyed the companionship over the past nearly three weeks. She hadn't been able to communicate with him, but in some measure she got to see him in a way that wasn't hampered by social mores. She felt like he was more himself than he had ever been.

She was going to be realistic though. She wasn't going to rush off, get married and have his babies, based on a one-sided three week acquaintance. But Sarah felt that she could at least acquiesce to getting better acquainted.

Three weeks! And she had all but stopped thinking about her home. She didn't miss her flat or her job. How would she explain her absence when she went back? That was yet another thing to be worried about. She'd probably lost her job. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, necessarily. But having no job would make it harder to find a new one.

The more she thought about it, the less she wanted to go back to her joyless existence. It was just existing in the plainest sense. Here she felt alive. Once she turned human, she wouldn't have the same freedom to fly. She had to take that into account. Would she still feel as alive when she couldn't fly?

And what would she do if she stayed here? Jareth may not actually want her to stay. He had indicated she would be free once she was human. Maybe she could live with Hoggle. Or perhaps perhaps a vacant house in the goblin city.

Anyway she looked at it, she had 2 or 3 days to mull everything over. She wondered what was going on. Some royal crisis or the like, probably. Maybe he had to go away. Or maybe it was a runner. She wondered if another champion ever occurred, that Jareth would show them the same amount of attention, as he had her.

Those feelings didn't sit well with her. Despite everything she wanted to be special to him. She didn't understand why, but she did. She realised if she left she would miss him. More than she ever missed Hoggle or Sir Didymus or Ludo. Sarah let in a ragged breath. What was happening to her? Why was she feeling this way?

All she knew was that she wanted to be the one who flew above him and she wanted him to be the one who flew beneath her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter was brought to you by sick kids and the song You Can Still Be Free by Savage Garden. Also a wee sneaky reference to Meat Loaf's For Crying Out Loud.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The days passed slowly while his family were in residence. Jareth longed for the night time when he could safely return to his chambers, before a quick hunt to ensure Sarah was fed. She then came and slept on his bed. They didn't say much to each other. She couldn't physically and he couldn't emotionally.

He would dream of her at night. Sarah as she should be. Whole and human. They danced together in his dreams. They held each other. They flew together. They even shared a kiss or two. It was bittersweet because he knew he'd never get that in his waking hours. Despite her being beside him as he slept, he knew it was temporary and not even a slice of the authentic experience.

Sarah seemed to pick up on his mood and often headbutted him and once even snuggled up to him. But as he had longed for it for so many years, he found it intolerable now. Having a taste of what could never be his, was a bitter pill to swallow. His family really didn't help his moods. They forever complained about the state of his castle, the state of his labyrinth, his appetite for humanity, and of course, they held great hostilities towards his goblins.

He was tired and disgusted over hearing their stories of their human hunts and how they tortured or even flayed alive some of their quarry. He barely hid his contempt. But all it did was cement his need to get Sarah away from all of this. He had been trained in royal protocol so he was able to manoeuvre around his family without causing fatal offence, but it was a gruelling task that left him consumed with fatigue by the end of the day. He likened it to having a flesh eating disease rotting your limbs off, but still having to smile through the pain, and what is worse, be thankful for it. How he longed to just amputate his rotten limbs off and be done with it.

Yet, the days did pass, albeit slowly. Time will crawl. His family were not as skilled in time manipulation as Jareth was, so it passed in a pretty linear fashion. They finally departed, and he was both rejoicing and lamenting. It was time to take Sarah for one last flight. The flight that would seal their fate forever. He hoped he would at least get one last look at her before she left the Labyrinth. One last chance to get lost in those endless green orbs, to perhaps run his fingers through her long, dark hair. To see her tempting mouth in a smile. He would forever remember the little freckle above her lip, the way her brow furrowed when she was thinking or frustrated. He'd remember the sweet, sweet way she had said his name.

But most of all he would remember the way she had shown him compassion even whilst she viewed him as the enemy. Only someone with her energy and might could equally despise and empathise with someone like him. She had grown up in her years away from him. But he had seen her growth even in the 10 hours she transversed the Labyrinth. She forgave Hoggle who had betrayed her. Only someone with her strength of character could be so magnanimous.

But enough to forgive his murderous relatives? Not enough to overlook his association with them. How could she? They would sooner kill her, than look at her. She could forgive a cowardly dwarf but could she forgive Jareth for relations who were so decidedly below her own self in morality and strength? She would paint him with the same brush.

Was he so very different to them? Having the power to travel between worlds meant he had a better understanding and more sympathy than possibly any other fae alive had, but was he really any different to the fae he loathed? He was cruel and a manipulative trickster who barely drew the line at actual harm. He was as spoilt and selfish as any of them.

He didn't know if he could live with himself if he kept her here in this lonely life. He sighed as he made his way to his lovely Sarah for their ultimate flight. He could bear it for himself but couldn't bear to see the fight go out of her, if subjected to his isolation, because there was no way they would be interacting with his family. Or any other fae for that matter. Not that it signified anything anyway. She wouldn't stay and he would set her free.

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Sarah was waiting for him as she usually was. This was it. The last flight. "You're free to fly tonight," Jareth thought as he approached his mate.

"Are you ready for our last flight?" Jareth asked as he entered the room. Sarah blinked once and flew over towards him. He sat on the bed and she hopped up next to him. "When you're human again, I will take you to see your friends before I take you back. Would you like that?"

Sarah blinked once again. He just gave a small sad smile back and nodded his head. She nestled up against his arm, and he brought his fingers to rest on her back. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"I wager you are eager to get this over with," he said with a low mirthless chuckle. Sarah looked into the mismatched blue eyes that didn't even try to hide the sadness. She blinked once for yes, but then blinked again for no. His eyes widened slightly, before he ran his hands over his face and through his hair. He looked flummoxed but quickly regained himself.

"We have to do this, Sarah," he declared quietly, before he changed into his owl form. Together they went and stood outside on the balcony railing. And perhaps for the last time, they took off together and sailed through the air. Instantly Sarah felt the invisible tether that usually held her, let go and she knew she could soar in any given direction. She was truly free, but she continued to take the flight path Jareth had commenced along.

Already they had covered more distance than they had in their previous flight. They were well over the hedge maze when Sarah spotted something. Something orange. She darted down for a closer look. Jareth changed direction to keep up with her. He let out a shriek, but Sarah ignored him, flying lower to see the orange mass below her in the hedge maze. She relished her new found freedom, but wished she could communicate to Jareth about her reasons for leaving him behind.

Jareth tried cutting her off, but she was determined. As she got closer, she saw that she was right in her prediction. The orange mass was Ludo. Her owl hearing detected cries of pain from him. Jareth must have cottoned on, because he zoomed down and overtook her.

They both landed near a wounded Ludo. Sarah hopped from foot to foot anxiously as Jareth transformed into his fae self. He rushed to Ludo's side, bending down in front of him. Blood oozed out of his shoulder and one of his horns had been cut off.

"Who did this to you?" Jareth asked searching for any other damage. "Ludo?"

"Ludo hurt," he answered in his deep rolling voice. "Nasty child hurt Ludo."

Sarah felt someone pick her up, she uttered a shriek as she was roughly tossed into a hessian bag.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth spun around when he heard Sarah shriek, to see his cousin Ghi standing there with a hessian sack tossed over his shoulder and no owl in sight. He cursed under his breath.

"This will make a tasty snack for my hound, Cijja" the precocious ten year old drawled as Jareth took him in.

"What are you still doing in my kingdom?" Jareth answered with as much calmness as he could muster. Behind his back, Ludo groaned and Jareth cursed himself for being less aware of who was in his labyrinth whilst he dealt with his heartbreak over Sarah. And damned himself further for not being more cognisant of Ghi's proximity to the rock caller, when they landed.

"Mother wanted to go hunting," Ghi answered snippily. "I bagged an Aboveground creature and this rock caller."

Jareth needed to get that hessian sack back. It was his first priority.

"I am sure you are your mother's son," Jareth observed, acting indifferent, though it was more to ensure he didn't spook the child into running away or hurting Sarah.

"I am sure I did much better than Admi." His boastful tone, enraged Jareth to almost breaking point. He twisted one hand behind his back, so his crystal making could go unnoticed. "She is probably hunting worms and bugs but only with Mother's help."

"Ludo is harmless and doesn't need to be hunted," Jareth scowled. "As for the contents of your bag, I wouldn't touch it, if I were you."

"It's just a bird," Ghi grinned wickedly. "You can't stop me, Cousin Jareth."

"Oh but I can," Jareth threw the prepared crystal at the boy, who staggered back and Jareth then used a second crystal to summon the hessian sack into his hands. The first crystal tied the boy in ropes of magic that flowed like water around his body.

"Father will be so angry," Ghi yelled, his face flushing bright red. "You let me go now."

"No I don't think I will," Jareth raised a brow, catching the sack and pulling it protectively to his chest. "First I will heal this rock caller, and then perhaps ask him to punish you."

The boy's eyes widened before narrowing again in anger. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh ho, wouldn't I?" Jareth gave a devious smirk. He would go to any lengths to protect his mate. "You have no idea what I am capable of, boy. No idea the torments my labyrinth could put you through."

"Your labyrinth is a piece of cake," the boy yelled. Jareth tossed back his head and let out a deep laugh.

"A better girl than you said that to me once before," Jareth mused, with a raised eyebrow, wondering if Sarah would hear his next words. "And she was the only one justified in saying so, as she was the only one to ever solve my labyrinth. I am afraid you do not have such strength of character. And you lie. You would never find my labyrinth easy. I am not intimidated by your arrogance. The girl, though, she was a threat and she proved her statements true."

"If a girl can beat it then I can too," Ghi boasted. "And quicker."

"No," Jareth shrugged, giving the bag a light squeeze in reassurance. "You can do no better than the best. You aren't half the person she is. You pathetic little worm." Jareth turned his back on the child, lying the hessian bag down gently, and set about healing Ludo. "And her being a girl, may have been more to her advantage than her disadvantage, you insolent, pup."

He had just finished the final touches when he heard the booming voice of his uncle.

"What is going on here?" Gerav bellowed. "What have you done to my son?"

"Nothing, nothing, tra la la," Jareth muttered before righting himself to stare his uncle down, with cold fury laced in his azure eyes. "Nothing that this boy didn't deserve."

"You've tied a child up, nephew," Gerav sneered. "My child. A royal Prince. That's not nothing."

"Neither is hunting my subjects in my kingdom," Jareth summoned his cane and tapped it impatiently against his leg. Jareth loved children. He was good with them. Especially babies. But fae children that were brought up like Ghi and Admi took enjoyment out of torturing innocents. They had no one to rein them in and were actively encouraged in their dark, vile habits. "The punishment hasn't even matched the crime."

"They're just beasts, Jareth," his uncle snapped.

"Yes, that is true: your children are beasts, but these are MY subjects," he waved his cane threateningly. He just wanted to take Sarah to safety and had lost any patience he had for his uncle. He set the head of his cane alight and waved it towards his uncle as a distraction. With a flick of his other wrist he sent a crystal hurtling at his Uncle's chest, locking him in place much like his son. With another flick, they were both sent to an oubliette. He'd pay for it later he knew. His father would not be happy to hear about his treatment of his brother and nephew. Now wasn't the time for rationality. Now was the time for ensuring Sarah's safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He released Sarah from the sack and turned to Ludo.

"I will send you to the castle to rest and receive further healing. I've healed you enough to transport you."

"Ludo thank King," Ludo bowed low before Jareth transported him away with another crystal.

Now he was left with just Sarah and her feathers were more than a little ruffled.

"I must find my aunt and my other cousin and see what damage they have done," Jareth told Sarah. "Let us fly to find them. Stay close to me. If it becomes dangerous I will transport you back to the castle too."

So off they took again but it didn't take long before Jareth floated down to where two more fae, female this time, stood. Sarah saw that they had caught Sir Didymus and he was uttering such a string of polite profanities as he was tied, limbs akimbo to four trees, slowly being stretched by the two fae.

"Fliion," Jareth growled as he transformed back into fae. "Release the knight." The girl child with Fliion, grinned at Jareth before pulling tighter on her rope.

"But listen to his screaming cousin," the girl smirked. "They delight me."

"Admi, darling," Fliion cautioned. "Jareth is a sensitive whelp and has perverse interests different from our own."

Fliion's eyes darted to Sarah for the first time. "Humans, for example, tend to be Jareth's pet or plaything rather than used for their intended purpose."

Before Sarah could blink, Fliion sent a ball of light hurtling towards Sarah. But it never hit her. She looked down and saw Jareth in a crumpled heap on the stony path. He had taken the magic designed for her, for himself. Saving her life yet again, but at the expense of his own.

She hoped it really wasn't at the expense of his own. But thankfully he was still conscious and he had regained some strength. Enough to bind both Admi and Fliion in the water like rope, much to their consternation. Without a word he made both of them disappear. She could tell he was weak though. He was struggling. He untied Didymus, saying some words she could not hear over the wind that just started up around them, before also making him disappear.

When they were alone, he braced himself against the wall, panting and clutching at his chest. His use of magic for his family members and her friend had obviously taken it out of him. Sarah rushed to his side, buffeted by the wind and twirling leaves that surrounded them. How could she not? He'd risked his own life to save hers. Surely the amount of magic that had harmed him, would have ended the life in her diminutive body in no time.

"I don't have enough strength to fly back nor to magic back," he said through gritted teeth. "Sarah, go, go fly free."

Sarah refused to budge. Instead she settled her body against his, fluffing up her feathers as the strong wind started picking up. She dug her talons into the ground as if saying: I'm not going anywhere.

"Sarah, a storm is coming," he grimaced in pain, as his wild hair thrashed around his face to echo his point. "If you refuse to leave me, we need to find shelter."

Jareth weakly pulled himself to his feet, gripping on to the hedge wall with both arms and led them to a cave etched into a rocky outcrop amidst the hedge maze, not far from where he had fallen. It was warm and dry, and they reached it just in time before the rain started. Jareth collapsed with a groan of agony onto the sandy floor. Sarah rushed to snuggle into his side.

They both dozed off to the sounds of the wind and rain battering the Labyrinth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enavilia had sensed Jareth's weakness and had come to his aid. Finding both the raptor and Jareth in a cave, asleep gave them the perfect opportunity to heal Jareth and finally break the spell over Sarah's life. When she woke she would no longer be an owl. Jareth had freed her in more ways than one, including sacrificing his own life for her. His plan to bond the two vassals of the Labyrinth's magic had fallen nicely into place.

He left them again to have this one night together before Sarah made her decision to stay or to go. Either way, Enavilia knew that they would eventually get Sarah back, but at least this time, Sarah and Jareth would be on equal footing. Sarah would be free of the responsibility to choose her brother, and Jareth would want Sarah for more than just a conquest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth woke to the sounds of pouring rain, and he was surprisingly pain free. He felt a weight upon him and letting his eyes adjust to the gloom saw that it was his Sarah. Alive and human and fast asleep holding onto him. She was human. And when she woke, she would leave him. He would be kept busy dealing with the mess his family had created for a few days when she was gone. Perhaps court, perhaps a telling off. But after that eternity stretched unbroken and unending in its loneliness.

But for right now he had her in his arms. The feel of her body against his, the scent of her hair and skin, like honey, cinnamon and fresh meadow hay, the way her breath tickled his neck. She was real and in his arms. In his arms.

And she was alive. She almost wouldn't have been if he hadn't taken the magic designed for her. How his aunt knew she was human, he did not know. But she was safe and he had some power over her to keep her safe in the Aboveground too. He'd be able to see her to know she was safe and happy. And maybe even loved in her future. If it couldn't be him then let her be loved. His jealousy would eat him alive, but she deserved to be loved.

"Oh how you exhaust me, My precious beauty," he whispered into her soft raven hair. She stirred only to hold him tighter. He closed his eyes at the pleasure and pain of being held so closely. Under his breath he started singing to her. Songs of flying, of love, of beauty, of peace. She slept away, tight in his embrace. He sighed with contentment before he drifted off again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dawn light woke Sarah and with it the memories of the day before. She opened her bleary eyes to see the roof of the cave looking down at her. With immediate realisation, she knew she was once again human. A smile cracked her face before she turned to see how Jareth was. It was then that she realised she was completely snuggled up to him as a human and him as a fae.

Her first instinct was to push herself away, but one look at his peacefully sleeping face, and she actually pulled herself closer. It was then as she felt her body touch his that she realised she was indeed naked. Her face flushed slightly, but there was nothing she could do. Of course he was fully clothed.

She gingerly ran her fingers over his brow and down to his cheek. Two deep blue mismatched eyes suddenly beamed into hers. She kept her green eyes trained on his, as he woke.

"My precious Sarah," he whispered, bringing his own hand up to touch her face.

"Jareth," Sarah whispered back. "Are you still hurt?"

"No, my love, I am quite healed," he said with a smile, running his hands down through her hair. "And you are quite yourself, if not suitably dressed."

Without another word, Jareth had her dressed magically in jeans and a t-shirt, before he covered them in a thick fur blanket.

"I'm not quite ready to get up to face the day," Jareth said as they lay under the blanket. "Stay with me just just a while longer."

Sarah easily agreed, pushing her body closer to Jareth, listening to the rain as he played with her hair.

"Thank you for saving my life," Sarah rested her hand against his chest, taking comfort in feeling his heart beat under her palm.

"No need to thank me, Precious," his voice, a gentle hum in her ear. "I would not have you harmed, especially not by those.."

As he trailed off, Sarah realised he was again looking down at her. He swallowed.

"Those despicable creatures. They hunt mortals for sport."

"They're your family?" Sarah asked, turning back to look at him.

"By blood," he growled. "I have tried to keep myself as far away from them as I could."

"You're nothing like them," Sarah knew he was talking about more than just physical distance.

"Precious, it warms my heart to hear you say so," he squeezed her just a little bit tighter.

They resumed their silence until Sarah asked how he had healed so quickly. He assured her fae heal quickly but that he suspected Enavilia's help in his healing.

"Why did you risk your own life, Jareth?" Sarah asked.

"I told you, I wish you no harm," he brought his hand to her cheek as leaned over her. "I wish you quite the opposite, if truth be told."

Sarah felt her heart race as he looked down on her with eyes that told the truth of his words. She placed her hand on top of his hand that still rested on her cheek.

In the next moment Sarah found herself leaning in and giving Jareth a chaste kiss on his cheek. Jareth's eyes widened and his pupils dilated as he let her kiss him.

"What was that for?" he asked softly.

"Thank you for everything you have done, but most of all thank you for changing my perception of you," Sarah ran her fingers through his wild hair. It was downy-soft and silky. "You're not the villain I always thought you were."

"Thank you," he responded. "Thank you for changing your perception of me and for giving me a chance."

"You taught me to fly," Sarah sighed. "I could never repay you for that."

Jareth's eyes searched her eyes for a brief moment before he leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. Sarah didn't hesitate in returning the kiss. It was soft, gentle and slow. He wasn't pushy or forceful, but it wasn't sloppy or lazy either. It was perhaps the best kiss she had ever had in her life. Certainly the most meaningful.

The rain still poured down outside their cave as they explored each other's mouths, lips, tongues, teeth, in a gentle passionate way, eventually adding in their hands as they touched each other. Sarah wondered how far they would let each other go, before an ethereal voice interrupted their kiss.

"The day has arrived," came the delicate neutral voice of Enavilia, a gossamer thin shadow of a humanoid that floated in the entrance. Sarah did not know how she knew it was the spirit of the Labyrinth, but she was certain this was them. Sarah and Jareth pulled away from each other but instinctively clasped hands together. "Sarah needs to make her decision."

"Decision?" Sarah queried as both her and Jareth sat up to look at the spirit hovering in the cave's mouth.

"You have the choice to return home or stay here?"

"She'll be going home," Jareth stipulated, gripping her hand in an almost bone crushing hold. "It is not safe for her here."

Sarah felt her heart freeze and her stomach plummet to her toes. He didn't want her here. She'd have to go home. To her joyless life. And after they just shared a kiss, following a tender moment.

"And what do you say, child?" The Spirit asked her.

Sarah nodded, swallowing the hurt she felt. "I always intended to go home."

"So be it," Enavilia declared. "Jareth you may return her when you're ready."

With that they evaporated from the spot leaving Jareth and Sarah alone. Sarah fighting back tears, couldn't even look at Jareth. She pushed the fur blanket off herself and stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave. She couldn't believe that a few minutes ago she was lying wrapped up in the arms of the Goblin King, kissing him, and now she stood awkwardly at the ingress of the cave ready to return home.

She heard Jareth move behind her. And she wrapped her own arms around her body, as he approached. He rested his hand on her shoulder.

"I thought I'd at least get to see my friends before I went," Sarah thought that she'd at least provide a reason for her sadness. He had told her that she'd get to see them. In her head, she stomped and declared it wasn't fair.

"I will send word when they are well again," he said in clipped tones. "The sooner we get you Aboveground the better."

Sarah nodded, allowing her hair to cover her face from his view.

"I will escort you home now," he took his hand off her shoulder and held his hand out for her to take. She took it and he pulled her into his chest.

Like the sensation of a Rollercoaster, she felt her body lurch and waver, as light and dark flowed past at rapid speeds. Before she knew it, she was standing back in her flat, with the Goblin King standing with her. He seemed so out of place in her home, but barely had time to think about it before he started talking.

"I shall leave you now," he said with a slight bow. "I will be in touch with regards to your friends."

And without so much as a goodbye, he disappeared before her eyes. Sarah wept with the abundance of a hurt child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit where credit is due to Savage Garden and a sneaky Austen reference here and there. Also Henson, Etc. for all the dreams they have created.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Once the tears had dried up, Sarah started to take into account the state of her flat. Nothing had changed. Her food wasn't off, there were no odd smells. Everything was as she had left it roughly three weeks ago. Had Jareth brought her back in time? It was night time but did she have work the next day? She didn't know.

She decided to ring the Talking Clock. It told her the date and time, so using the calendar she worked out that it was the night before she had left. Come the morning she was due to be in the Labyrinth. Sarah threw one look at the owl painting on the wall and made her way to bed. She lay there silently for hours. She thought of Jareth. His kindness, his tenderness, his coldness, his aloofness. At long last she dozed off, dreaming of flying by herself, completely alone.

Morning came and went and she was still in bed. The phone rang and rang. Sarah eventually pulled herself out of bed to disconnect the phone. She wasn't going in to work. Sarah was sure that it would be work who was ringing her repeatedly. She hadn't woken up in the labyrinth as an owl. She had woken up with red puffy eyes, dried tears caked on to her cheeks, and her hair a rat's nest atop of her head. She was stuck in her reality and she needed to make changes if this was to be her future. She'd start with her job.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Sarah's friends were healed and on their way back into their normal lives, he wrote a letter and gave it to Hoggle.

"Please send this to Lady Sarah," Jareth ordered, without looking at Hoggle. He couldn't take it himself. It would be too painful to see her. And to not touch her. To not hold her. It was better this way.

He had to make her hate him. So she wouldn't want to be here with him, though he couldn't see why she would want to anyway. She made it clear that she wanted to return home when Enavilia had confronted them in the cave. At least he would have his memories. She had kissed him. That was not to be sniffed at. He had once told her that he couldn't live within her, but he now hoped this would be true. That she would forget all about him. For her own sake.

"S..s...Sarah?" Hoggle stuttered. "Sarah, my fr...the one who beat your...the one that..."

"Yes, Hipple," Jareth answered impatiently. "That Sarah. The Labyrinth's Champion."

"I will not harm a hair on the little lady's head," Hoggle said with more courage than he probably felt.

"Hmm, I think I recall you saying something similar before," Jareth smirked. "And yet Sarah ended up stuck in a dream spell."

Hoggle spluttered as he went beetroot red.

"I did not...you..how dare. .." Hoggle stumbled over his words in his fury.

"Yes? You want to think very carefully before you accuse me of anything," Jareth warned.

"I will not hurt her," Hoggle said confidently.

"No, you will not," Jareth agreed. "You will not hurt her. I will never allow it. So give her the letter and your duty will be done. No harm will befall, your Champion."

And yet, Jareth knew that he was probably the one who would be hurting her. She was probably expecting him in person, but as soon as that thought had come, it was replaced by his own self-doubt. Yes, Mr. Arrogant Fae King, was having self-doubt for the first time in his life. And the root of his doubt, was Sarah and how she felt for him. It equally was more important that she didn't care for him, as it was that she actually did care for him. No, he had to let her go. Let her go free. His family would seek retribution for what he had done, and she needed to be safe.

"Yes sir," Hoggle said meekly, with a look of utter confusion. Jareth sighed. He disliked having his subjects cower before him. Unlike the other fae who enjoyed it, he had just got into the habit based on their own responses to him.

It was hard to live up to their expectations of him as a big, fearful, terrible fae, when their prejudices didn't allow for anything else. That's what they knew of fae, and that's what they expected from him. He cursed the fae for their millenia of treating everyone else in such an abhorrent manner.

He may manipulate, tease, and mock his subjects, like they anticipated, but if it came down to it, he'd lay his life down for them. He had a duty of care and he took that seriously. The same couldn't be said for the rest of the fae.

He grew weary very quickly of Hoggle's stammering and wanted him to swiftly go and deliver the letter. He wanted Sarah to be reassured that her friends were safe and out of harm. He longed to see her, but knew it would be harder in the long run.

"Oh, and Hoggle," Jareth said as the dwarf went to take off. "If she asks anything about me, you are not to tell her anything, do you understand me?"

Hoggle stammered a guarded agreement, before he left the room.

So that was it. The last time he could say her name out loud, the last time he could mention her to another living creature. She now, from this moment on, lived in his memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarah? Is yer there?" came a voice through the darkness. It was Hoggle. She'd recognise his voice anywhere.

"HOGGLE," Sarah raced from her bed where she had been lying, to her dresser with the mirror, flicking on the lamp as she went past. "Hoggle, you're here. You're really here."

"Sarah, I have a letter for yer," he pushed the letter through the glass of the mirror until it plopped down onto the wood of her dresser. Sarah went to ask how Ludo and Didymus were, when she noticed the Owl seal on the envelope. Was this from Jareth? Her heart stopped and her stomach plummeted like the sensation of missing the last step going down the stairs.

She wanted to rip the letter open and gorge herself on its contents.

"Thank you, Hoggle," Sarah was desperate to read the letter, but not to appear so in front of her friend. "Tell me Hoggle, how are Sir Didymus and Ludo?"

"They be fine, Sarah," his bushy eyebrows disappearing under his skullcap. "You wouldn't know it but theys were tortured by thems fae folk. But the rat mended them all up."

"How ghastly," Sarah had to pretend she knew nothing about it. "Tell me, what happened to the fae folk that hurt my friends?"

"Thems be locked in an oubliette until the High King tooks them away," Hoggle shrugged. "I know no more thans that."

"Why did they do that to my sweet innocent friends?" Sarah pressed. She was determined to lead the conversation towards Jareth somehow.

"Thems fae folk are cruel," was all he stated.

"Jareth didn't seem the type to be so cruel," Sarah suggested, pensively looking down to her lap. "I mean he did heal them and all."

She felt it important to tack on that amendum. It would not do to make Hoggle suspicious of her questions.

"He is a rat," Hoggle snapped, but with a sigh he conceded a small point. "But less of a rat thans other fae folk. He takes in outcasts and saves people from the other fae after all. He saved me once upon a time..."

Suddenly, Hoggle's leathery face paled and looked pinched. "I has to go."

And with that he went before Sarah could utter a single syllable more. She closed her gaping mouth as she realised all she could see in the mirror was her own reflection.

She was alone. With the letter. She ran her fingers over the creamy parchment of the fae envelope. And without any more delay she ripped it open. Dismay settled in at how short the note was.

Dear Ms. Williams,

I hope this letter finds you well. As requested I write to inform you of your companions health. They are fully recovered and back to their usual posts within the Labyrinth. I hope you find this information sufficient in settling my debt to you.

Regards,

King of the Goblins, Lord of the Labyrinth.

Sarah read it a few more times before she scrunched it up and hurled it across her room. He was so cold, so formal. Yes he had answered the question of her friends as promised but there was nothing else. Nothing to even suggest they had shared a kiss.

What was that moment all about, then if he didn't care for her? She could feel her dark mood returning and a wish to see Jareth was on the tip of her tongue when the anger washed over her. She went back to her bed furious that he played games with her.

After a restless sleep, Sarah had come up with a plan. She could call Hoggle and get him to return a letter to Jareth. Perhaps if they started some correspondence, she could get something more from him. What did she want from him? She wasn't sure. But she wouldn't learn if she sat on her hands. Driven with purpose, her body flooded with adrenaline. She eagerly set about writing her letter.

Dear King of the Goblins, Lord of the Labyrinth.

Thank you kindly for the letter disclosing the well-being of my friends. I am very satisfied to know they were well treated by your hands. I hope they know to whom they are indebted.

I, for one, will never forget your kindness to me. I hope that this also finds you well.

Warm regards,

Sarah.

After she finished writing, she had a shower and sat with her coffee in front of the mirror.

"Hoggle, I need you," Sarah confidently commanded the mirror. It took a few moments, but he eventually appeared.

"Sorry, Sarah, for me quick exit last night," he said. "There were things I said, I shouldn't have said."

"It's ok Hoggle," Sarah waved her hand frantically, her curiosity dampened by her urgent need.. "Would you do me a favour and give this to Jareth, please?"

She proffered the letter towards the mirror.

"You is writing to the rat?" he looked at the envelope warily.

"Yes, Hoggle," Sarah shrugged. "He wrote to me first, remember?"

"Are you sure that the rat didn't put some kind of voodoo on that paper?" Hoggle jabbed a thick brown finger at the offending item sitting still crumpled in a ball on her dresser. "And bespelled you into writing to him?"

"No," Sarah laughed. "He didn't bespell me. "

"Sarah, what is going on?" he asked in a demanding tone.

"Nothing is going on," Sarah shrugged. "He wrote me a letter and I am responding."

"I'm just nervous, that's all," Hoggle's brow furrowed and he wrung his fingers in agitation. "The rat is in a strange mood. And has been for a few weeks, now. I hope he ain't planning anything."

Sarah assured him she'd be ok. He left to deliver the letter and all she had to do was wait.

And waiting was what she did because she did not hear back from Jareth and nor would her friends come to the mirror when summoned. She fought her anger and her misery daily. She still didn't have a job and she spent most of her day feeling sorry for herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After weeks had passed, she decided she wouldn't let any man, arrogant fae or not, dictate her happiness. So she started going for runs and started applying for new jobs. A few days after her change of heart, something appeared in her mirror.

"Hoggle," Sarah cried, with joy and relief. "Where have you been?"

"Sarah," Hoggle rubbed his wrinkled brow. "I has been busy."

"Have you got a reply to my letter, or..." Sarah asked.

"Well, actually..." Hoggle continued to be all fidgety as he stood in front of her. "He never wrote a reply."

"Oh," Sarah flushed at the thought of getting her hopes up.

"Sarah, can I ask..." he looked up to the ceiling and back down. "That is, Jareth has been mighty peculiar lately...he is sad and angry and shuts everyone out...we was just wondering, if yer letter had anything to do with it."

"Hoggle," Sarah breathed. The tension coiled within her, released ever so slightly. "No, not the letter. It is probably just the stress of those fae hurting our friends. Maybe."

"Hmmm," Hoggle hummed. "He is not himself. Do yer had any idea what that means for the Labyrinth?"

"No, I don't," Sarah affirmed.

"It means it is starting to falls apart," Hoggle divulged. "The Labyrinth is tied to the king, and he is ill."

"He is ill?" Sarah asked, revealing her concern. "What does he need to help him?"

"We don't know," Hoggle shrugged. "But he wrotes you that letter and then hasn't spoken to anyone since. Shuts himself off."

"Again, I don't think the letter is at fault," she maintained. "Tell me, what has happened to his family since we last spoke?"

"Family?" Hoggle questioned. "I never tells yer theys were the Rat's family."

"Ah…" Sarah bit her lip, and scratched behind her ear in apprehension. "Oh maybe I assumed…"

"You assumed his family tortured Ludo and Sir Didymus?" Hoggle shook his head. "I doubt they are his family. He ain't that level of cruel."

"They were his family, Hoggle," Sarah admitted her knowledge, unable to lie to him anymore. "I was with him when he rescued Ludo and Didymus."

"You was with the king?" Hoggle interrupted. "Well why didn't yer visit us?"

"I couldn't," Sarah pushed her hair behind her ears and closed her eyes. When she reopened them Hoggle was leaning in closer, expectantly. "I wasn't able to, because I was stuck as an owl."

"That were you?" He asked incredulously. "In the garden?"

"Yes that was me," Sarah admitted. "It is a long story. Now tell me, what is going on?"

"He has taken to his rooms," Hoggle grunted. "I don't likes him but he's a good king but he's letting things go unprotected."

"Now, can you tell me what has happened to his family?" Sarah asked again.

"Thems been taken away by High Kings men," Hoggle shrugged. "Don't knows what happened but His Majesty went to court, came back three days ago, but still in the same mood."

Sarah wondered if Jareth was feeling her pain too. She longed to see him. She didn't know why, but she felt a strong tug on her heart to go and see him. She could make him better. She just knew this as an absolute truth in that moment. Something told her that it was more for her benefit than his, that he had been so hard-hearted, cold and distant.

"Hoggle," Sarah had an idea. "Can I climb through the mirror to the other side?"

"I cans go both ways," Hoggle pointed out. "So I guess you cans too."

"Ok, let's try," Sarah cleared the items off her dresser and kneeled atop of it.

"But why?" Hoggle asked, watching her with mild curiosity. "Why do you want to come through?"

"I need to talk to Jareth," Sarah explained. "I think I know why he may be in a mood. And I may be able to fix it. But he won't see me, so I will have to go to him"

Without any further discussion, Sarah parted through the mirror portal and found herself in the Goblin Castle.

"Take me to him, Hoggle," Sarah ordered after a brief hug with her friend. "Please."

They hadn't got far when a white and tan owl swooped in through a window ahead of them. They both stopped and waited as he turned back into his fae form. Sarah was shocked at his appearance. He was pale and gaunt, his clothes in tatters around his diminishing frame.

He still hadn't seen them as he leaned back against the stone wall with his eyes closed. Hoggle shifted uncomfortably beside him.

"Hoggle, are you visiting that girl again after I strictly asked you not to?" He said with his eyes still closed. Sarah frowned, realising he was probably talking about her. "You dare defy me, again. It is for her own safety I ask you to leave her be. We need to sever all ties. Do I have to keep explaining this to you? You choose to get a backbone only when you risk the woman I...the Lady Sarah.."

As his voice broke and he trailed off Hoggle found the courage to say something.

"I do dare," Hoggle raised his chin high. "Lady Sarah is my friend."

"A friend you risk the life of every time you contact her," Jareth growled, anger lacing his every word. His eyes still firmly shut. "Do you know what they will do to her if they find any link to me?"

"Worse then what you're already doing to yourself or to me?" Sarah braced herself for impact as she made her presence known. His eyes snapped open and he slowly turned his head to face her. "Because quite frankly, this is no fun either. It looks like you're torturing yourself as much as you're torturing me."

"What are you doing here?" his rage was scary to behold, as he approached her like a predator, gracefully and with menace. "You risk everything coming here."

"Risk what exactly?" Sarah didn't know where this courage was coming from, but she wouldn't let herself falter under his ire. "You haven't been exactly forthcoming with me."

"No," he agreed. "You don't need to know what dangers this dunderhead has put you in. Your sensibilities couldn't handle it."

"Let me be the judge of that," she snapped. "And Hoggle hasn't put me in any danger. I brought myself here."

"Then you're the dunderhead," Jareth snarled, his sharp teeth glinting dangerously in the filtered light of the corridor.

"What danger am I in?" Sarah placed her hands on her hips and eyed him down. "I can't exactly be blamed when I am ignorant of the facts."

"If my family finds you, they will kill you, or worse," he answered. "You saw what they did to your friends. They would do worse to you. Do you think you somehow have the ability to fend them off?"

"Something tells me, you wouldn't let them get close enough to even touch me,' Sarah fired back. She noticed an instant change come over him. Where he walked tall buoyed by anger, he now deflated in front of her eyes. His eyes searched her face before he ran his hands over his face. Sarah sensed his anger running out of steam.

"Hoggle, leave us," he said sharply, but with a tone less galled than he had been.

"Sir," was all Hoggle said before he departed, limping through the archway at the end of the corridor.

"Lady Sarah," Jareth said when they were alone. "You shouldn't have come here."

"Yes you've made that perfectly clear," Sarah retorted sardonically. "Perhaps I should just go. I thought I'd got to know you a bit better but obviously not."

Sarah wasn't going to let him see her cry. She had cried enough over the past however many weeks since he left her back above. She thought if they saw each other face to face, she could get some answers, that he would melt in his iciness towards her. But her strength was waning with how angry he was towards her. She thought to give him one last chance.

"I came here to see you," Sarah pointed out. "I had hoped to find you a little warmer than a block of ice. However l was wrong. I don't know what it is that crawled up your arse and died, but I deserve to be treated better than with your anger and contempt. I will go back Above and may our paths never cross again, if that is your wish."

"I do wish," Jareth said in hushed tones but his eyes told a different story. Like it was the truth he spoke but not for the reasons he was trying to have her believe. She just narrowed her eyes at him and spun on her heel. She would just go back to the portal, go home and pretend this was all a bad dream.

"Sarah," he pleaded so faintly, she almost didn't hear him. "Find happiness. Forget about me. Forget about all of us."

'If only there was a spell you could give me to allow me to do so', Sarah thought as her heart broke once again, she knew she could and never would forget about him. She never turned around to face him. She would not look at him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hoggle was kicking clods of dirt around the gardens. He was annoyed. Enavilia had approached him and had told him that to rebuild the labyrinth, Jareth would have to be mended. To restore Jareth, he needed to fetch Sarah. Hoggle didn't understand why and he resented having to go against his King. He still scared him. His temper, and his faeness was too much for Hoggle and his cowardice.

He had consulted with Sir Didymus and Ludo about what was best to be done and they agreed, while the damage to their homes was minimal, it would only get worse. So they talked him into breaking into the portal to find Sarah. It had been easier to get her to come through than he had thought.

But now Jareth was angry. And when Jareth was angry, more of the Labyrinth would break away. What Sarah had to do with any of it was beyond his comprehension. Sir Didymus waxed poetic about love, but Hoggle dismissed that right off.

"Jareth may be a better fae than most, he is still a fae" he had said. "And thems fae don't know the meaning of love."

Nor did Hoggle. Not really. He had been alone most of his life, an exile from his old kingdom. Sarah had been his first friend and that's all he had ever known as love. He had no notions of marriage or romantic love. He couldn't see Jareth loving Sarah like he did.

Jareth would never put his own neck on the line for Sarah like Hoggle had done.

"Ah but old chap, that is where you're wrong," Sir Didymus had said "He risked his life for her. I saw it with my very own two eyes. You know my eyesight is keen. He took a ball of magic to prevent her certain death."

Hoggle had questioned when and how this had happened. Sir Didymus explained that when he had been tortured by the fae, and subsequently rescued by Jareth, their king had whispered that Sarah resided in the body of the barn owl that he had saved.

Sarah had all but confirmed the owl story when he had visited her in the portal. But he played ignorant hoping she would come through the portal without suspecting his motives. Enavilia had said not to divulge too much information, because the more she knew, the more she'd ask and the harder it would be to secure her. She had to come through, and it had to be her choice.

But secure her he had and now he wondered if he had done the right thing. He needed Jareth to get back to his normal arrogant self, but was it worth whatever Sarah had to sacrifice to get it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah made it back to the mirror, a ball of anguish lodged in her throat threatening to make her eyes release their unshed tears. She reached out her hands to push herself through but they just made contact with the glass. Her hands scurried across the cold glass to find an entrance to find her way home.

"Hoggle," she cried out, hoping he'd have an idea how to circumnavigate the portal. "I need you."

She heard footsteps behind her, and she twisted around to see Jareth standing there with an unreadable expression on his aristocratic face.

He tossed a crystal from hand to hand as he assessed Sarah's predicament for a brief moment, before he tossed it at the mirror.

"Allow me," he said as the crystal hit the mirror and then shattered into a million pieces, sprinkling all over the stone floor.

Sarah glanced at Jareth before pressing her hand against the cool glass again. She was going to leave and she wouldn't even say thank you. She had a thousand burning questions, but she also had the stubbornness to not utter a single syllable to him. This was her last chance and she was not going to take it, because her pride was hurt, and her heart sore. She applied slightly more pressure to the glass with her hand but it remained solid under her palm.

"You need to press your hand through and then it should open," Jareth prompted.

"That's what I'm doing," Sarah growled. "It's not working."

"No it won't work," came the unmistakable voice of Enavilia. Both Jareth and Sarah spun around to prove it was indeed the Spirit of the Labyrinth.

"What do you mean?" Jareth snarled. "Why won't the portal work?"

"Because she can not leave," they said simply in response. Sarah spluttered and went bright red in anger.

"What the fuck do you mean?" Sarah swore. "I need to go home."

"Yes, but do you want to?" Enavilia asked quietly.

"Of course I do," Sarah retorted incredulously. "And so does he. No one wants me here, least of all him."

"That's simply not true," the spirit calmly corrected her.

"I do want her to go home," Jareth spoke serenely, staring Enavilia down. "Let her through."

"No," Enavilia declared. "She can not go back. Her home is here now. I couldn't let her go even if I wanted to."

Sarah paled, as she spun around desperately trying to get through the portal, that would not budge.

Before she resorted to kicking it, Enavilia rested a ghostly hand on hers.

"You came back under your own free will," they said. "You made a choice."

"I came back to..." Sarah faltered. "I came back under false pretences. I thought I could fix something that clearly just wants to remain broken. I don't belong here."

"Enavilia," Jareth interrupted. "I am warning you.."

"Jareth, you have won your prize, why don't you claim it?" Enavilia taunted.

"She isn't safe here," Jareth looked at Sarah for the first time since Enavilia had entered. "I need you to be safe, Sarah. I need you to forget all about me and move on with your life."

Sarah didn't say anything but could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry, Sarah," Jareth implored, with no ostentation. "I thought it would be easier if you hated me. I never wanted to hurt you. I apologise if I have done so. Believe me, your safety was my only consideration. I had to let you leave, and I had to make you want to stay away, though it was literally killing me to do so."

"You have her here now," Enavilia pointed out.

"No, you don't understand, " Jareth turned back to the spirit, his anger renewed. "My family is not happy with me after their little sojourn in the oubliette. They will declare war on me. If Sarah is here...she will be tortured and..."

"Peace, Jareth," the spirit consoled the scornful Goblin King. "You know as well as I do that you have the power to protect her. Claim the power."

"You conniving ingrate," Jareth barked. "I can not ask that of her. Not like this. What on earth do you get out of all this, you meddlesome ghost?"

"You've heard of the Triad of Labyrinthine Power?" Enavilia asked.

"Yes," Jareth assented. "It's a myth."

"It's not a myth," Enavilia shook its head. "Here stands the three points of the triangle," Enavilia gestured with an ethereal hand, to the three of them standing in the small chamber with the mirror portal. "I bonded with the champion when she won her trials. I bonded with you when you took the crown. Now to complete the Triad, you need to bond with her. My power is her power, her power is your power, your power is my power, and so on."

"Jareth, what do I need to do?" Sarah piped up after watching their conversation and taking it all in. "If I am to be stuck here, I would like to be of some help."

"You are not stuck here," Jareth shook his head. "We will find a way to get you to safety."

"She can not leave," Enavilia restated. "Jareth, to keep her safe you have but one choice."

"I can't," Jareth fell to his knees. "I can't ask that of her."

"If you complete the Triad the three of us will hold unquestionable power over this kingdom. None of your family could even dream of invading. They will have no power. Your Sarah will forever be safe. Safer than she ever would be Aboveground. "

No one said anything for a while. Jareth lost to his own thoughts, still on his knees. Enavilia just floating in space, not reacting, not moving, just being. Sarah meanwhile, fidgety and teary, tried to work out what was going on, but nervous to break the silence.

"Sarah," Jareth turned to her. "I don't know what to do."

He looked so lost and Sarah found she forgot all her annoyance with his cold behaviour towards her, starting to realise he was trying to protect her. Sarah glanced between the two of them, but her eyes lingered longer on Jareth than they did on the apparition. She knew he was telling her the truth when he had given his reasons for hurting her, she could feel it. She could not cognate how she knew, but her soul knew that he was being honest with her, and she found it in herself to forgive him. As angry and upset as it had made her, it showed her a selflessness that she had never before been a recipient of, especially after he had risked his life for hers.

She raced to his side and knelt down by him.

"Ask me what you need to," Sarah cajoled gently.

"I had hoped to one day ask you without fearing the answer would be self-preservation or obligation," Jareth took her hand in his. "But you of all creatures, made me want to be better than I am. And I can not put my wants first. Let me for once in my life, put someone else above me."

"What is the question?" Sarah had an inclination but dared not believe it.

"Sarah, if we can't get you safely home, I'd like you to stay under my protection," Jareth bit his lip, and rubbed his brow. "I can not offer you enough apologies for not keeping you safe at this time."

"Enough," Enavilia bellowed. "She can not return Aboveground. Don't waste this opportunity that's been given to you for the sake of your own pride. Ask her, or I will."

"Jareth, please," Sarah squeezed his knee, in a rather daring move. "If there is a way to save my friends, to save your labyrinth, to save me from your family, then please tell me."

"Sarah, do you know what that thing is asking of you?" Jareth fixed his blue eyes on her. "Do you think I deserve to ask such a precious thing to be chained to me for all eternity?"

"I will probably only live another 50 or 60 years," Sarah laughed. "That's not long at all."

"No, Precious," he shook his head. "Living here extends your life, what Enavilia is asking of you, extends it for eternity."

Sarah looked down at her hand with a sigh. Moving it away from him, and placing it back on her own lap, she considered everything. Her gut told her Jareth had feelings for her. But his words and attitude had been convincing enough to make her doubt her own feelings.

If she was truly stuck here, then then she wanted to make the best of her situation. She briefly thought of her family, especially Toby, but she swallowed those feelings swiftly. They wouldn't help the tangle she was already in.

"Perhaps I would be out of your way in a little cottage at the edge of your kingdom," Sarah suggested. Jareth moaned and closed his eyes as he moved his head away.

"I don't want you out of the way, Sarah," he said through gritted teeth. "Besides the fact you will be unprotected, I..."

"Jareth, what is it you're trying so hard not to say?" Green eyes met blue again, the latter ones softened, as they met.

"Precious," he retook her hand in his. "Enavilia wants us to bond to complete our powers," Jareth explained. "I don't want you to feel any pressure to do so. But being my wife allows you to release your magic, it allows us all to strengthen the magic we have and it keeps the labyrinth and all its inhabitants safe from enemies."

"So it sounds like a logical course of action," Sarah offered, as his hand tightened on hers. "Aside from granting us more powers, does it cost me anything else?"

"Not in the slightest," Enavilia chimed in. "You, Jareth, and I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It will hurt none of us, and once you are bonded, the magic will take its own course. We would just have to wait and let it strengthen on its own. All the work is done by bonding three strong entities, such as ourselves. And this is the first time in history where a King has found his equal in his Queen. The first time that I, the Spirit of the Labyrinth have bonded with both simultaneously. I have only ever bonded with one or the other. Like it or not, but you are both chosen for this purpose."

"But it's not right to force you and not when I had envisioned it so differently," Jareth turned to Sarah as he finished listening to Enavilia.

"How did you envision it, then?" Sarah asked softly.

"Precious, I failed the first time I asked you to stay with me, to love me," Jareth confessed. "I had planned to ask you to be my wife, with more certainty of how I loved you, how I would do anything for you, and how I would move those stars I had promised I moved for no-one. I would move them for you. Only you."

"I didn't take you for a romantic," Sarah teased, wiping the last vestiges of tears away from her eyes. "Peach-induced-dream-bubble-dance aside."

"Do not tease me, Sarah," he smiled weakly back at her. "But there are many things we don't know about each other, that I would like to learn together. But yes, I am indeed a romantic. I had hoped to sweep you off your feet, to properly woo and then court you. I would have shown you more wonders than a simple peach-induced-dream-bubble-dance. I would not choose to be thrown into marriage, just to defend ourselves against my own family."

"Does it matter how it happens?" Sarah pondered. "But that it happens nonetheless?"

"Sarah, what are you saying?"

"Jareth, if you want me as your wife and you ask me, I will say yes," Sarah rubbed her thumb over his, letting renewed tears fall freely. 'If we have eternity like you say, then there is plenty of time to woo me with peach-induced-dream-bubble-dances, but not much time to save everyone that that I have come to care about here in the Labyrinth."

"Sarah, my precious, pragmatic, and sadly lacking in romance love," Jareth pulled her into a tight, but warm embrace, his feathery hair tickling her face as he held her. "I can't tie you to me for eternity."

"I am free, Jareth," Sarah said through her tears. "You took my broken wings, and helped me learn to fly again. As far as I am concerned, you have my heart for all eternity anyway, whether you choose to keep it or not."

"You are trapped here," Jareth explained. "It is a very lonely life."

"I am not trapped, I am free," Sarah sighed. "I've never been more free my entire life than when I was with you. I do miss being able to actually fly, but with you, my heart will still soar."

"Sarah, if you are sure," he paused. "I would love it if you'd consent to be my wife, for all eternity."

"I consent wholeheartedly," Jareth leaned in and gave his wife-to-be a kiss on the lips, as Sarah accepted his proposal. "I would have accepted even if I had been given a choice to stay or go. Maybe not so quickly, however."

Jareth kissed her tenderly again. His lips smooth and warm, his scent invigorating and comforting. "I love you, my Precious, Precious Sarah."

"I love you too." And she did. She must have always loved him, but now she knew it with her whole heart.

"The quicker we bind you two together, the quicker the power of the Triad will take hold," Enavilia interrupted. "Shall we start now?"

"Now? Right now?" Sarah asked, still wrapped up in Jareth's embrace.

"I fear that the Goblin King's family are heading this way," Enavilia mentioned. "Troops and all. They are a week or so away, yet, but that doesn't give much time to complete the bonding and then have us bound together."

"Sarah," Jareth cupped her face in his hands. "If you want a big formal occasion, we can always throw a wedding ball further down the track. This bonding Enavilia performs is but a formality."

"I don't need formal or big," Sarah laughed. "We can do it right now, as long as you tell me what to say and what to do."

"Just follow my lead," Jareth helped them both up onto their feet.

Enavilia started saying some words in a language Sarah did not understand, Jareth responded and whispered into her ears the words she had to say back. Ten minutes later, the Spirit laced their hands with a rope that had materialised in their hands, before saying some more words.

The next thing Sarah knew, Jareth was again kissing her and then whispering into her ears, "thank you for choosing to be my wife."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So they were then married. Sarah had married the Goblin King and was to become the Queen after a formal coronation in front of the Goblins, the next day. That would complete the bonding, and the magic created would protect them from invaders, enemies and anyone that meant them harm.

"If I had to lose you forever, I was grateful to have had you in my life as someone other than an adversary, even for a short while," Jareth told Sarah later as they stood upon a balcony overlooking the Labyrinth with the night wind blowing over their barely dressed forms. "But to not have lost you at all, answered all my truest dreams."

"As they answered mine," Sarah threw her arms around her husband's waist, and looked up to his loving blue eyes. "I have never found happiness as equal as this, except maybe when I could fly."

"You still soar well above me, my love," Jareth kissed her tenderly on her brow. "As you always will. You are free to fly tonight, and every night, my love."

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again credit to Savage Garden. All their songs inspire my Labyrinth plot bunnies. They are hugely underrated and amazing song writers.


	11. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

It was a few days after their wedding and Sarah and Jareth were lying in their marital bed in post-coital bliss.

"My precious wife, wherever did you learn to do that?" Jareth chuckled into her hair. "It really was something."

"Did you really think I waited around for you?" Sarah squeezed his nipple between two fingers, playfully. "Like I am some 25 year old virgin?"

"My darling, of course I did," Jareth said in mock outrage. "I waited for you!"

"You waited centuries to have sex with some mortal girl?" Sarah asked skeptically. "Are you telling me you are some millenia old virgin?"

"Would that disappoint you, my love?"

"No, I just find it very hard to believe," Sarah scoffed. "Especially as you're smirking."

"Would you believe me if it told you that I waited since I first met you?" Jareth gave his sharp toothed grin she was so fond of. "Also I'd prefer it if you called it making love. Fae have rampant sex, but rarely do they actually make love like we did."

"Maybe, maybe I believe you," Sarah ran her hand up his chest and across his shoulder to rest on his finely chiseled cheek as she snuggled into him. "And you are truly serious about being a romantic!"

"I'm not a 1000 year old virgin, but I did wait for you once I first saw you," Jareth kissed her hair. "Fae have this unique ability to know who they are supposed to give their heart too. It's why I didn't have to know you long before I knew I loved you. In fact you could say, I knew I loved you before I met you. And yes, I told you I was romantic. Too much time on my hands reading Aboveground literature."

Sarah laughed and Jareth reciprocated with a warm chuckle and another tender kiss. They lapsed into contented silence, both softly touching each other to reassure they were both real, and this was not a dream. Green eyes dipping into the pools of blue, sealing their love with lasting looks.

"Who was your friend that inspired the name Sive?" Sarah asked, breaking the silence. Jareth didn't answer straight away, humming in the back of his throat as he considered his answer.

"You of course," he answered, eventually. "You have been my only true friend. Sive means Sarah in Gaelic."

"Did you always know it was me?" Sarah pondered. "When I was an owl I mean?"

"No, but I hoped," Jareth pulled Sarah tighter to him. "Fae all have an animal form. But they come in pairs. Usually two fae will find their soulmate with that person who has the same form. When I knew the owl was not just an owl, I longed for it to be you."

"Well, I am neither fae, nor no longer a barn owl," Sarah said sullenly, making Jareth just smile.

"I have a surprise for you," he lifted the blankets off them and gestured for her to follow him.

They both walked, hand in hand, completely naked across the chamber to the balcony.

"Sarah," he said. "Take this crystal. It will get easier for you to do this over time by yourself. Focus on your bird form. Close your eyes if that's easier. Eventually you can do this with one of your own crystals and then without any crystals at all."

Sarah obeyed. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on being an owl and sure enough before long she felt herself shift. She looked up and saw Jareth nod before he shifted too. And together they took to the sky. Unlike before, they were more playful and lighthearted in their flight. Chasing each other, tumbling over one another, and joyfully dive bombing each other.

Jareth let out a shriek that Sarah knew instantly was a mating call and recognised his peacocking for what it was - a mating ritual. Sarah would have wholeheartedly laughed if she could. Instead she returned a shriek to complement his.

It may have been a choice she had made when she had no choice, but she could never regret her future or her marriage to Jareth. She knew it wouldn't be easy and they still had a lot to learn about each other, but the foundations were solid. He consoled her that they could visit Toby, given time and training to use the magic she had within her. There was little else of her old life she longed for. For having given up on hope of love or happiness, she now had an overabundance of it on her plate.

Even the impending war with her now in-laws did little to dampen her mood. They were confident in the upcoming invasion, and hoped it would be enough of a warning for anyone else thinking of trying to take the Labyrinth on. But in reality she was free. She was flying free. She was free to love. She was free to rule. And once their bonding had completed the Triad, she was free to be feared. Jareth was her slave, as he promised all those years ago, but she had never been freer.

She reached higher into the sky to circle around and feel the wind both support and resist her, but knowing she conquered it with a single beat of her wings. Jareth chased her, and then pulled alongside her and they both aimed for the burning sun, together, joined in magic, freed by love.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on FFN under a different author name. I've changed my FFN name to match this one. 
> 
> Old ffn name: SolasGealalainn
> 
> New ffn name: BowieQueen 
> 
> This is my first fanfic and it is completed but it may take awhile to transfer it all over here. 
> 
> If you read this story, thank you so much!


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